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How Nutritious is Your Product?

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By Iquo Ukoh, Chief Executive Officer, Entod Marketing Ltd

According to the 2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey a staggering 43.6% of Nigerian children are stunted – not growing at the pace they should. Are you in manufactured Food Business? What is the Nutritional value of your product?  Will your product helpto nourish your customers and ensure they remain healthy enough to makerepeat purchases?

The fight against nutritional deficiencies can only be won with a multifaceted approach. It calls for individuals, food producers and the government joining hands together to ensure success.

In the last few years, there has been some heightened level of nutrition awarenessamongst some Nigerians. Primarily as a result of the volume of information that is readily available on the internet.

Despite this, the level of nutrition knowledge amongst the larger percentage of the populace remains low. How do you explain a consumer that says that ‘boiled corn has less carbohydrate than roast corn’? Or a young lady on a reducing diet feasting on fruits and saying ‘I have tried to lose weight but the reading on my scale is not moving downwards’. For this lady fruits are not carbohydrates and so should not affect her weight.

For food producers or manufacturers on the other hand there is a need to consciously ensure that foods meant for consumers provide the required nutrients. In addition they should provide sufficient nutritional information on their product packs, for consumers to make informed food choices.

The mother that buys food for her young child is totally dependent on the producer to ensure that the content of the product she buys will meet the need of her child. We eat a pack of chin-chin or plantain chips and may not be aware of the amount of carbohydrate, fat or saltit contains.

 

Do food producers know what to do?

Whilst we cannot argue that every business is set out to be financially viable, however, the food producer should approach his/her enterprise from the mindset of a social entrepreneur.

A shift in orientation is what is needed such that it is possible for the producer to achieve both objectives. The starting point therefore is for the food producer to have some nutrition knowledge or get the service of an expert in this area.

This will be one way to ensure provision of nutritious products and communicate clearly the product nutritional benefit on labels.

Observation shows that some producers of packaged goods feed on the poor knowledge of consumers, and therefore make unsubstantiated claims on their product labels. Some others just go with the flow of what is in vogue. How do you explain ‘gluten free’ yam flour?

In the first place gluten only exists in some grains so why put such a claim on a root tuber? In other instances there is no nutrition information to consumers at all on the pack.

So, is this the case of the producer not having the right nutrition knowledge about his/her product and therefore cannot properly label or is there nothing nutritional about the product?

Is there a Consumer knowledge gap?

For many Nigerians the daily contact with nutrition is mainly on food product labels. Nutrition as a subject only starts to be taught in secondary school and even at that it is not compulsory.

Even for those that take the subject in school, it is Home Economics and Nutrition with the former been the greater subject content. No wonder the ability to make informed food choices in adulthood becomes a problem.

Research has shown that a lot of the common food-related ailments like diabetes and obesity can be prevented or the incidences reduced if there is adequate nutrition knowledge. The educational system may have to consider introducing nutrition as a subject right from primary school. There is certainly a gap in knowledge.

Making foods nutritious is possible

Whilst the consumers struggle to understand basic balanced diet the producer should be positioned to provide nutrition information in simple understandable language to guide the consumer in making healthy food choices. It is a responsibility the food producer cannot leave to government food regulatory agencies alone.

As a consumer I want to know what a packet of plantain chips can contribute nutritionally to my daily food intake requirement. Indeed what does it do for me? It is not enough to list out ingredients in quantities I do not understand.

I want to know if your product will help improve my eyesight, help my skin glow or increase my energy level to work. In the case of children’s foods the mum wants to know if the food will promote growth, make the child have strong bones and teeth.

A call for Social Impact

‘How does your product ensure that if consumed, it can contribute to a greater workforce for tomorrow?’ ‘Does your product offer good nutrition, or empty calories?’
As Businesses you control the product, have the reach and can trigger the desires of the consumer, put your assets to good use, you are critical in this fight against malnutrition.

The 2013 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey indicates that 25% of our women population are overweight/obese. The time is now for food producers especially the small and medium enterprises to act. After all, you cannot claim what you don’t have in your products.

As government and researches identify nutritional gaps and prevalent deficiencies, it is the social responsibility of every food producer to help fill these gaps. Today it is clear that we have issues of micronutrient deficiencies.

Vitamin A, Iron and Zinc are some of the areas that food producers can work on to improve guaranteed consumption by the populace’. Some of these nutrients can be either incorporated in foods by fortification or ensuring the use of food produce that already contains these nutrients.

The work of ensuring a healthier nation and consequently a more productive work force is in our hands.

 

Mrs. IquoUkoh is the Chief Executive Officer of Entod Marketing Ltd, a dynamic marketing services company purposed to help businesses succeed in West Africa. This article is sponsored by the Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network. They can be reached via [email protected]

GrassRoots.ng is on a critical mission; to objectively and honestly represent the voice of ‘grassrooters’ in International, Federal, State and Local Government fora; heralding the achievements of political and other leaders and investors alike, without discrimination. This daily, digital news publication platform serves as the leading source of up-to-date information on how people and events reflect on the global community. The pragmatic articles reflect on the life of the community people, covering news/current affairs, business, technology, culture and fashion, entertainment, sports, State, National and International issues that directly impact the locals.

Transport

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu Unveils First Set of Electric Buses In Lagos

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The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced the first set of electric buses for the state’s mass transit scheme.

Sanwo-Olu announced this on his Instagram page on Sunday, as he shared pictures of the buses.

He partly wrote, “I am excited to announce the first set of electric buses in the Lagos Mass transit master plan as part of our increased effort to modernise every sector of Lagos.

“Thanks to our partnership with #Oando_PLC, Lagosians can expect a cleaner and greener public transportation system.

“With the ability to travel 280 km at full charge, taking into account our unique travel times in Lagos, our electric buses are a game-changer.”

Here are pictures of the electric bus.

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Finance

Former Minister, Godswill Akpabio, Invited By The EFCC For Investigation

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The former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has been invited by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for interrogation over an investigation concerning corruption allegations against him. 

It’s been alleged that at the time Akpabio headed the ministry, a N40 billion fraud was perpetrated in the Niger Delta Development Commission. 

Punch also reported that there were allegations of over N86 billion contract scams involving the senator-elect and a former Acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Prof Kemebradikumo Pondei, which the EFCC had been investigating.The anti-graft agency had in the past arrested Akpabio over the alleged theft of N108.1 billion of Akwa Ibom funds.

The EFCC had earlier invited Akpabio to appear for questioning on March 29 but his lawyer, Umeh Kalu (SAN) in a letter to the anti-graft agency alleged that his client was suffering from pneumonia and cardiac arrhythmia.

The invitation was later rescheduled. In a letter dated April 13, 2023, which was received by Akpabio’s lawyers, the senator-elect was asked to come to EFCC headquarters in Abuja on May 9, 2023.

It read; ‘Investigation Activities Re: Senator Godswill Akpabio’s Appointment Letter Of Invitation’ was signed by ACE II SM Ala, Head, CMU-1.“I refer to your letter number dated March 27, 2023, on the above subject. In view of the above, you are kindly requested to inform your client Senator Godswill Akpabio to personally report for an interview with the undersigned through the Head, CMU-1 team on May 9, 2023, at 5th Floor, EFCC Headquarters Plot 301/302 Institutions and Research District. Jabi, Abuja at 10:00 am.”

We will give out more information as the news comes.

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Finance

OurPass Announces Transition from One-Click Checkout Company to Business Banking

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Samuel Eze, Founder and CEO of OurPass
Samuel Eze, Founder and CEO of OurPass

OurPass, the one-click checkout company, today announced that it has rebranded to become a global neobank for businesses revolutionizing commerce in Nigeria.

OurPass is providing businesses with access to banking, payment and business management tools to enable them start, grow and scale their businesses.

OurPass launched in 2021 after raising a $1 million pre-seed led by Tekedia Capital with a goal of helping businesses increase their sales conversion rates by eliminating long entry forms at checkout using its one-click checkout solution.

However, as the business observed the market and conversed with its customers, it recognised that beyond offering a niche service, it could provide end-to-end solutions that helped entrepreneurs grow every aspect of their business.

“With a mission to create a borderless world of successful businesses, we are committed to making it easier for businesses, irrespective of size and location, to gain access to banking services, but we are not stopping there,” said Samuel Eze, Founder and CEO of OurPass. “We are also providing them with access to all the payment and business management tools they need to grow and thrive.”

The neobank offers free business account numbers in under five minutes when businesses sign up, access to capital to build their businesses, and great investment opportunities with its fixed deposits offering. Its optimized payment tools, such as POS terminals, QR codes, and instant transfers, also enable businesses to receive and make payments seamlessly. In addition, OurPass provides a quick invoicing tool to keep businesses organized and help them get paid on time, and is building out its inventory, storefront, and digital tag systems. Staff management tools allow businesses to safely grant their teams controlled access to business information such as payment confirmations, and manage their branch operations from anywhere in the world with OurPass’ sub-business feature.

“Our pivot and the fact that we are still growing is a clear testament to our dexterity in adapting to changing times,” said Eze. “We are already serving thousands of customers including some of the biggest retail outlets in Nigeria like Spar, Shoprite and EatnGo, processing about 1,000,000 transactions monthly. We have also secured our own Microfinance Banking License from the Central Bank of Nigeria and we hope to serve over 200,000 active businesses by the end of Q4 2023.”

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