ABSTRACT

The study undertook an analysis of food environment (promotion, price and labelling) policies in Nigeria. The food industry in Nigeria, a significant contributor to the nation's economy is confronted by multifaceted challenges encompassing inadequate food labeling, deficient safety regulations, high prices, and an unhealthy food environment, posing risks to consumer health and choice, exacerbated by weak policy enforcement and limited understanding of stakeholders' roles and adherence to food environment policies. The purpose of this study is to to analyse food environment (promotion, price and labelling) policies in Nigeria. The study employed a desk review methodology to scrutinize and evaluate food environment policies (specifically related to Promotion, Price, and Labelling) in Nigeria between 2000 and 2023. Inclusion criteria encompassed policies at the national, state, or local level, targeting various food categories or sectors, implemented within the past 20 years, and having accessible documentation in English. Exclusion criteria comprised policies unrelated to food elements, implemented beyond the specified timeframe, or lacking available documentation. Data collection involved comprehensive searches using specific terms across databases and official websites, including NAFDAC and the Federal Ministry of Health, concluded on November 8, 2023. The screening process involved the application of predetermined criteria, followed by the removal of duplicates across various databases and websites. Subsequently, study characteristics were qualitatively extracted, including Policy Name, Nature, Core Focus, Source, Timeline, among others, and global strategies were gathered through extensive online research of international organizations and publications. The study evaluated pre- and post-national statistics related to health and nutrition within 15 identified policies, categorizing them into Food and Agriculture Policies (20%), Nutrition and Health Promotion Policies (26.7%), and Food and Nutrition Policies (53.3%). Pre-evidence indicated a dependency on imports and identified key food safety authorities. Post-evidence revealed consumer challenges in understanding food labels, especially in Lagos State, highlighting a gap between policy implementation and consumer communication. The analysis showed that 60% of the policies had a direct relationship with the scope, 33.33% had an indirect relationship, and 6.67% had no relationship. The study recommends enhancing consumer education and revising policies to include explicit provisions for food pricing and labeling to improve the effectiveness of food environment policies in Nigeria.