Connect with us

Uncategorized

3 Essential Elements of a Protein-Centred National Nutrition Policy

Published

on

By Veronica Eneh Ejembi

Nutrition, whether at the individual, domestic or national level, is an essential part of health and development that cannot be overemphasized. Achieving optimal nutrition is critical to any nation. This is particularly true for the nutritionally vulnerable (pregnant women and their unborn children, elderly, children under five, immune-compromised individuals and people living with chronic illnesses). A country’s health index can be used to predict its economic potential and development projection. Since it has been established that the health status of a country is important, there is the need to have a nutrition policy in place to enable it tackle emergent health issues. 

A policy is a statement of intent proposed by an organisation or an individual to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. Policies are necessary tools for addressing issues and one of such policies that are essential is a nutritional policy. A nutritional policy is an agreed statement by an authoritative body (usually the government) of its intent to act to maintain or alter the food supply, nutritional status or some indicator in the society. Often, nutritional policies are created and implemented as planning tools to ensure population health optimisation, or created as a response to a population health need.  

No doubt, implementing a protein-centred nutrition policy will help influence people’s attitude towards consuming protein-rich foods and limit illnesses associated with protein deficiency. Besides, a nutritional policy will help change certain cultural behaviours like giving the head of a household a large portion of available protein foods, considering protein a ‘luxury food’ and not prioritising protein in one’s diet.

Globally, national nutrition policies have had a positive impact on health. For example, the wheat flour fortification programme in Jordan where the staple flour is fortified with iron and folic acid then later with zinc, niacin and vitamins A and B. The United States of America also had a programme to influence the increase in consumption of dairy. In Nigeria, iodine deficiency was also combated by increasing the public’s education of the benefits of iodine in diet. These examples show that having a protein-centred national nutrition policy may indeed be the way to go in tackling protein deficiency in Nigeria.

To develop and implement a protein-centred nutrition policy in Nigeria, certain frameworks should be in place. These guidelines were discussed by medical experts and nutritionists at the recently held Protein Challenge Webinar Series 6 themed ‘The Case for a Protein-Centred National Nutrition Policy.’ 

Here are three pillars that should be a part of such a policy:

Education About Protein Benefits
A lot of people lack the necessary information about the benefits of protein and this has hampered its consumption. Education about protein should not be restricted to classrooms and in theory only. Head of households, key nutrition decision makers and homemakers should be educated at community centres, primary health centres and religious places on the benefits of including protein in the family diets. The woman functions as a gatekeeper in the home and educating her on the need for protein-rich foods and the risks associated with not eating enough protein will help influence the consumption of proteins in the home.

Availability of Protein-rich Foods
Protein-rich foods need to be prioritised and made available for consumption. This can be achieved if agricultural and food production policies support farmers by providing them with fertilizers, transportation, storage and processing facilities. Initiatives like these will encourage more farmers to plant and produce more protein-rich plants and rear animal proteins that are affordable for people to purchase and consume.

Affordability of Protein Food Sources
Most people tend to ignore protein foods because of the assumption that they are expensive. In a way, most animal proteins are pricey. It is therefore imperative to ensure constant availability of protein-rich foods as this will drive down cost and take care of price. Besides, the government can introduce subsidies to make certain protein foods affordable to a point where every household can afford to consume protein at every meal.

Nutritional policies, when implemented effectively have shown that there is a positive shift in the direction aimed for. This proves that creating and implementing a protein-centred nutrition policy would be a great step towards eradicating protein deficiency in Nigeria. 

This protein-centred nutrition policy needs to target education, availability and affordability of protein-rich foods. Protein deficiency will become a thing of the past in Nigeria with the effective implementation of a protein-centred national nutrition policy.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Uncategorized

What to Expect at WHX Lagos 2026

Published

on

As healthcare systems across Africa continue to evolve, the need for innovative technologies, strategic partnerships, and knowledge-sharing platforms has never been greater. This is why industry leaders such as PPC Limited (www.ppcng.com) and VINNO, alongside healthcare professionals, hospital administrators, policymakers, distributors, and technology providers, are looking forward to WHX Lagos 2026, taking place from the 2 to 4, of June 2026, at the Landmark event centre, Lagos. The event provides a unique platform to showcase innovation, exchange ideas, and explore solutions that will shape the future of healthcare delivery across the region. Here is why you should attend this year’s event.

1. A Showcase of Healthcare InnovationWHX Lagos 2026 is expected to feature some of the latest advancements in medical technology, diagnostic imaging, laboratory solutions, healthcare infrastructure, digital health, and patient care systems.Visitors will have the opportunity to experience live demonstrations of cutting-edge equipment, interact directly with manufacturers and solution providers, and gain valuable insights into technologies that are transforming healthcare delivery around the world.

2. Networking Opportunities with Industry LeadersOne of the key attractions of WHX Lagos is the opportunity to connect with healthcare leaders, clinicians, medical equipment suppliers, distributors, and decision-makers from across Nigeria and beyond.The exhibition provides a platform for building strategic partnerships, exchanging ideas, and exploring collaborations that can drive healthcare development and improve patient outcomes across the region.

3. Educational Sessions and Industry InsightsBeyond the exhibition floor, attendees can look forward to educational sessions, expert-led discussions, and presentations focused on some of the most pressing issues facing healthcare today.Topics such as healthcare infrastructure development, digital transformation, diagnostic excellence, medical equipment management, and access to quality healthcare are expected to feature prominently during the event.

4. Exclusive Offers and Product DemonstrationsVisitors to the VINNO booth will have the opportunity to experience live product demonstrations and enjoy special discounts on selected medical equipment throughout the exhibition.Healthcare providers looking to upgrade their facilities or invest in new technologies will have the opportunity to compare solutions, engage directly with technical experts, and take advantage of special exhibition offers available only during the event.

5. Driving the Future of Healthcare in AfricaAs Africa’s healthcare landscape continues to expand, events such as WHX Lagos play an important role in bringing together the people, technologies, and ideas needed to accelerate progress.Whether you are a healthcare professional, hospital executive, distributor, investor, or policymaker, WHX Lagos 2026 offers an opportunity to gain insights, discover innovative solutions, and contribute to the conversations shaping the future of healthcare across the continent.For more information on how you can get the WHX discount, send an email to marketing@ppcng.com.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Interswitch Group Founder, Mitchell Elegbe Rejoins Global Jury for 2026 EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Grand Finale in Monaco for the 3rd Consecutive Year

Published

on

…makes history, becoming the first and only entrepreneur globally to have won in both emerging and master categories in any region in 40 years, and invited to global jury for the 3rd year running

LAGOS, Nigeria, June 01 2026: Mitchell Elegbe, Founder and Group Managing Director/CEO of Interswitch Group has again been re-appointed as the only entrepreneur from Africa into the global jury of the 2026 Ernst & Young (EY) World Entrepreneur of The Year Awards, which takes place annually in June in Monte Carlo, Monaco, for the third consecutive year, following his inaugural jury duties at the 2024 awards. According to EY, the World Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame is an elite corps of men and women who have been recognized for their exceptional entrepreneurial achievements. For 40 years, since 1986, EY has been celebrating ingenuity through the Entrepreneur of the Year program. “The program has recognized more than 10,000 outstanding entrepreneurs for their vision, innovation, courage, and leadership in building and growing successful businesses — businesses that influence the way people live, the products and services we depend on, and the economic vibrancy of our local communities and global markets.” In June of 2023, Elegbe, alongside 48 other accomplished entrepreneurs from 45 countries across the world were inducted into the 2023 WEOY Hall of Fame, with Interswitch’s Elegbe holding the unique distinction of being the only black and African global finalist and inductee into the coveted hall of fame, as well as the only entrepreneur in the 40-year history of the awards to have won in both the emerging and master categories at various times in their region (West Africa). For the 2026 edition of the global awards, Elegbe has been re-invited by EY’s global leadership to join the global jury being 1 of 9 former finalists who form the judging committee for the 2026 global awards of the initiative, holding annually in Monte Carlo, Monaco. The 2026 jury is made up of accomplished entrepreneurs, all former regional winners drawn from Australia, Brazil, Germany, Hong Kong & China, Nigeria (Elegbe), Singapore, The United Kingdom, and The USA. Mitchell Elegbe is widely regarded as one of the pivotal architects of Nigeria’s payment innovation revolution and has gained acclaim globally for his contributions as an exceptional African entrepreneur, who has contributed in no small measure to the economic development of Nigeria and Africa as a whole, having distinguished himself in business leadership and technology development. A multiple award-winning professional and a renowned business leader in the Information Technology and Financial Services industry, he has won several awards, some of which include Harvard Business School Association (Nigeria) Leadership Award in the General Management Category; African Banker Awards 2019 as the African Banker Icon; CNBC/Forbes All African Business Leader (AABLA) Awards for West Africa as well as Financial Technology (Fintech) Africa Awards, Payments and Transfer category in 2016, among other deserving recognitions. He is also a Bishop Desmond Tutu Fellow of the African Leadership Institute, an Endeavor Entrepreneur and also a member of the Board of Endeavor in Nigeria. Mitchell Elegbe founded Interswitch in 2002 to provide a solution to problems associated with payments in Nigeria and has since led the company to consolidated growth as a leading payment and digital commerce company that helps to build and manage payment infrastructure and provides robust technology-based solutions to individuals, financial institutions, and governments across Africa. See the full list and profiles of the 2026 Global Jury Members for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards here https://www.ey.com/en_gl/weoy/judges

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Fidelity Bank to Drive SME Growth with Quarterly Business Forum

Published

on

Leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, is set to launch a strategic engagement platform aimed at promoting the growth and sustainability of small and medium enterprises across Nigeria.Known as the Fidelity Quarterly Business Forum, the initiative is designed to bring together SME business leaders, founders, policymakers and industry experts to discuss business opportunities, economic trends, innovation and sustainable growth strategies.Speaking on the initiative, Ugochi Osinigwe, Divisional Head, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises, Fidelity Bank Plc, said the forum reflects the bank’s commitment to delivering a wide range of initiatives that support the growth of small businesses in Nigeria.“Our Quarterly Business Forum is part of our regular engagement with small businesses across the country. As you may know, Fidelity Bank is a leading supporter of SMEs through numerous financial products, and a strong advocate of a multi-dimensional approach to helping them succeed.“Through this initiative, the bank will host engagements with businesses across the country to strengthen their capacity, encourage networking and provide relevant advisory support to help them navigate the evolving economic climate and achieve profitability,” Osinigwe said.The maiden edition of the forum is scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday, 3 June 2026. It will feature a range of activities, including a keynote address titled “Scaling Trade and Distribution Businesses for Sustainable Growth”, to be delivered by Pamela Shodipo, Executive Director, South, Fidelity Bank Plc.This will be followed by a Business and Economic Outlook presentation themed “Doing Business in a Trade Driven Economy”, to be delivered by Okechukwu Ugoji, Group Head, SME, Fidelity Bank Plc.The session will conclude with a networking event designed to foster valuable relationships among participants and encourage mutually beneficial business opportunities.The Fidelity Quarterly Business Forum adds to the range of innovative solutions introduced by the bank to support sustainable business expansion. It will be recalled that Fidelity Bank established a dedicated physical facility for small and medium-scale enterprises and entrepreneurs in the creative sector, known as the Fidelity SME Hub, in Gbagada, Lagos State.Through the hub, the bank provides entrepreneurs with networking and stakeholder engagement opportunities, as well as access to industry experts and mentors for practical guidance and business advisory support.Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 10 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.The Bank is a recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards

Continue Reading

Trending

Mega Awareness 2023