Uche Amunike
Lifeandtimes News Writer
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted Nigerians of a case of revalidated SMA GOLD First Infant Milk Formula in 900g tins widely in circulation in Kaduna state.
This announcement was made by NAFDAC through its Public Alert Number 06/2026, which was issued via X on Sunday, where the agency reported that a sample of the product bearing batch number 2293951081206 and manufactured date 20/1/25 with expiry date 20/1/2027, was found on sale.
The stated NAFDAC registration number on the product is Number B1-2783 and it corresponds to legitimate SMA GOLD 1, which is produced for the Nigerian market by Nestlé.
NAFDAC stated: ‘The product allegedly caused gastrointestinal distress in a 4-month-old infant following consumption.’
‘Physical examination of the complaint product sample revealed clear indicators of date marking alteration.’
‘The manufacturing and expiry date on the top preprinted sticker was inconsistent with the underlying, originally printed version. This confirms the suspicion of revalidation and tampering.’
According to NAFDAC, SMA GOLD Infant Formula is a whey-dominant product that is designed to mirror the nutritional profile of breast milk for babies from birth to six months, maintaining that any change of the shelf life without getting regulatory approval compromises the safety of the product and potentially endangers the health of the infant. The agency also highlighted the potential risks involving the revalidation of date markings, as they misrepresent the quality and safety of the formula.
They further averred: ‘False dating misleads consumers regarding product freshness and nutritional integrity.’
‘Expired infant formula may harbour microbial contamination and degraded nutrients, posing serious risks to vulnerable infants whose immune systems are still developing.’
The agency has directed all zonal officers and state coordinators to carry out surveillance and remove the revalidated products from circulation. Distributors, with retailers, caregivers and healthcare professionals have also been advised to verify the authenticity of products and obtain them only from licensed suppliers, while also reporting any suspicious or substandard items.
Consumers and healthcare professionals have further been asked to report adverse events or suspected sales of the product to the nearest NAFDAC office, through the Med-Safety app (android/iOS), through the E-reporting platform on the NAFDAC website or by email to pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.
Recall that in January, after a global record of specific Nestlé infant formula batches that affected 60 countries and territories globally, NAFDAC warned Nigerians against selling and using unregistered SMA infant formula products.
They clarified through a public alert, that even though Nigeria was not affected by the recall, any SMA formula sold without an approved NAFDAC registration, remained illegal in the Nigeria market.
NAFDAC further explained that the global recall announced by Nestle in January involved particular batches of SMA infant formula and follow-on formula due to the possible presence of a toxin linked to food-borne illness in infants, known as cereulide.
