Nigeria: Nigeria Losing Billions to 'Hidden Hunger' As Health Experts Demand Compulsory Fortification of Seasoning Cubes

Mary Nnah A nutrition emergency most Nigerians cannot see is quietly eroding the country's growth, with experts warning that widespread gaps in folate and vitamin B12 are behind preventable birth defects, stunted brain development, poor school performance and a less productive workforce. Faced with the scale of the problem, nutrition specialists are calling on the federal government to make it compulsory for bouillon cubes to be fortified with folic acid and vitamin B12, describing the move as one of the cheapest and fastest ways to improve public health and protect the nation's human capital. The push comes at a time when Nigeria records roughly 7.5 million births each year. Buried in that figure are about 11,000 infants born annually with neural tube defects, devastating conditions of th