Right To Protein Set to Hold Inaugural Conference in Nigeria

Right To Protein, an awareness campaign of the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) targeted at educating people about the importance of adequate protein consumption for better nutrition, health, and wellbeing, is set to hold its inaugural conference in Nigeria.

The Right To Protein Nigeria Conference themed, Right To Protein: Protein for a Sustainable Tomorrow, is slated to hold at Marriott Hotel, GRA, Ikeja, on Thursday, June 22, 2023, at 10.00AM and will be Live streamed on YouTube: @RightToProteinNigeria to a global audience.

Dr (Mrs.) Jummai Adamu Tutuwa, Director-General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) Lagos and an Associate Professor of Industrial Biochemistry will be the Special Guest of Honour.

Dr. Olubukola Omobuwa, a fellow of the West African College of Physicians and the current acting Head of the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Osun (UNIOSUN), will do justice to the conference theme as the keynote speaker.

This will be followed by a highly engaging panel discussion session moderated by the cerebral Dr. Mrs Ifeoma Akeredolu. PhD, RD., Centre Coordinator, Yabatech UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre and Lecturer, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos and will feature Kevin Roepke, Regional Director, South Asia and Sub Saharan Africa (SAASSA), USSEC.

Other members of the panel are Prof. Wasiu Afolabi, President, Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) and a Professor of Community Nutrition in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics and current Dean, College of Food Science and Human Ecology, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Ogun State, and Dr. Beatrice Oganah Ikujenyo (PhD), Associate Professor of Nutrition, Department of Home Economics, Lagos State University of Education, Oto-Ijanikin, Lagos.

The above panellists who are all key stakeholders in the nutrition sector, not just in Nigeria but from other parts of the world, will be discussing salient matters around nutrition, increasing protein consumption, its effect on productivity, impact on ensuring a sustainable future for Nigeria and Africa at large and ultimately, ensuring that everyone has an actual right to protein. 

Announcing the agenda for the inaugural Right To Protein Nigeria Conference, Dr. Michael David, Country Team Lead, Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa, USSEC said that the conference is aimed at bringing together key stakeholders in the food, health, nutrition, academia, regulatory and soybean value chain to deepen discourse around protein consumption in Nigeria. He further emphasized that the upcoming conference would focus on the need to encourage Nigerians to regularly consume proteins bearing in mind the invaluable impact protein has on the overall health of a person– eventually leading to a more productive workforce.

He said: “We are excited to be leading the narrative in changing Nigerians’ perception of protein consumption while also championing a behavioral shift towards optimizing consumption of a variety of protein sources including animal-based and plant-based protein, especially those options that can be easily accessed by and are relatively more affordable for most Nigerians.”

“This conference aims to underline our motive of bringing together experts and individuals passionate about nutrition to discuss the importance of adequate protein consumption for better nutrition, health, and wellbeing. Key learnings from the event will empower attendees with knowledge, evidence-based insights, and practical strategies needed to make informed choices regarding their protein intake, ultimately supporting their overall wellbeing,” said Dr. David.

Right to Protein campaign was launched in Lagos, Nigeria earlier this year in February with a media roundtable conference geared towards officially announcing the campaign as well as celebrating Nigeria’s inaugural Protein Day.