By JKNewsMedia
THE LAUNCH of the National Guidelines for Public Procurement of Food and Related Services (NGPPFRS) by the Federal Government has been commended by the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) as a landmark step towards creating healthier food environments and protecting millions of Nigerians who depend on publicly funded meal programmes.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that established in December 2025 and officially launched in Abuja on Monday, July 13, 2026, the Guidelines were developed by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (FMBEP), relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), development partners, professional bodies and civil society organisations.
Also, the Guidelines establish nutrition standards for food procured with public funds across schools and school feeding programmes, hospitals, correctional facilities, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps, orphanages, internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, emergency shelters and other public institutions.
Among their key provisions, the Guidelines restrict the procurement, sale and service of sugar-sweetened beverages and beverages containing non-sugar sweeteners in public institutions.
They also set limits for sodium, saturated fats and trans fats, promote the consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, encourage local sourcing of food, and integrate nutrition and food safety standards into public procurement processes.
CAPPA also noted that public food procurement in Nigeria has long operated without uniform, nutrition-focused standards, allowing cost and convenience to take precedence over nutritional quality.
This, the organisation said, has resulted in the widespread supply of highly processed foods containing excessive amounts of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats in public institutions and emergency interventions.
According to CAPPA, the new Guidelines have the potential to transform public food procurement by placing nutrition at the centre of government purchasing decisions and urged public institutions at the federal, state and local government levels to fully implement the standards.
Reacting to the development, CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, described the Guidelines as “a major milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards healthier food environments.”
“Government remains one of the country’s largest purchasers of food. Every day, millions of meals are served through schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, NYSC camps, IDP camps and other public institutions. What government chooses to buy inevitably shapes what millions of Nigerians eat.
“The Guidelines recognise that public procurement is not just another purchasing activity but a powerful public health intervention,” he said.
CAPPA particularly welcomed the introduction of maximum sodium thresholds for several processed and pre-packaged food categories in line with the National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction (NGSR), 2024.
Another major provision requires that each adult meal contain no more than 35 percent of the recommended daily sodium intake, equivalent to 700 milligrams of sodium or 1.75 grams of salt, with appropriate adjustments for children and other population groups.
The Guidelines also prohibit the purchase of partially hydrogenated oils and food products containing them.
In addition, food products must not contain more than two grams of trans fats per 100 grams (2g/100g), while manufacturers are required to declare trans-fat content on product labels.
For retail outlets operating within public institutions, the Guidelines encourage healthier food choices by requiring that nutritious options be made more visible and affordable, discouraging the promotion of unhealthy products, and using menus and signage to identify foods that meet nutritional criteria such as low sodium or no added sugar.
CAPPA also highlighted the requirement that at least 30 percent of institutional food procurement budgets be allocated to locally grown or produced foods supplied by smallholder farmers and community vendors.
It described the measure as one that could improve nutrition, strengthen local food systems and support rural livelihoods.
The organisation observed that the new standards align Nigeria with growing international efforts to use government’s purchasing power to prevent diet-related diseases and create healthier food environments.
The Guidelines also draw on the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Action Framework for Developing and Implementing Public Food Procurement and Service Policies for a Healthy Diet (AFD-IPFP-SPHD).
While applauding the Federal Government, CAPPA stressed that the success of the initiative would ultimately depend on effective implementation, urging the BPP to immediately constitute the National Food Procurement Oversight Committee (NFPOC), as provided for under the Guidelines, and commence the implementation measures outlined in the policy.
According to the Guidelines, the Committee will monitor compliance, investigate breaches, report violations to the appropriate authorities, and provide mechanisms for civil society participation and independent reporting.
In a statement signed by CAPPA’s Media and Communications Officer, Robert Egbe, the organisation also called for the prompt designation of focal monitoring officers across institutions, routine inspections, quarterly compliance reports, annual independent audits, the establishment of a central compliance database, and the publication of annual reports on institutional compliance.
“Launching the Guidelines is an important first step. The real measure of success will depend on how faithfully these standards are applied in everyday procurement and food service operations. Procurement officers, caterers, contractors and food service providers must receive the training and support required to comply,” Oluwafemi added.
The organisation further urged public institutions at all levels of government to align their procurement processes, contracts, menus and food service operations with the provisions of the Guidelines, noting that consistent compliance would determine whether the policy translates into healthier meals for millions of Nigerians.
It also congratulated the BPP, the FMBEP, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMHSW), participating government agencies, development partners, including Resolve to Save Lives and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (RSLGHAI) professional bodies and civil society organisations that contributed to the development of the Guidelines.
Finally, CAPPA pledged to continue working with relevant stakeholders to support implementation through research, public education, constructive engagement and independent monitoring.
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