AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
A packaged Nigerian food sold in the US needs an English label with the product's common name and net quantity on the front panel, an ingredient list in descending order of weight, a declaration of any of the nine major allergens, the name and address of the manufacturer, packer or distributor, a Nutrition Facts panel unless an exemption applies, and the country of origin. The FDA does not approve labels in advance; the importer is responsible for getting them right.
The front of the pack
The FDA's Food Labeling Guide calls the part of the label most likely to be seen at retail the principal display panel. Two things must appear there:
- The statement of identity: the common or usual name of the food. "Egusi (ground melon seed)" tells a US shopper and an FDA officer what the product is; a brand name alone does not.
- The net quantity: placed in the bottom 30% of the panel, in both metric and US customary units, for example "Net Wt 16 oz (454 g)".
Required text must be at least 1/16 inch in height.
The information panel
Ingredients
List every ingredient by its common name in descending order of weight. A suya spice blend with groundnut, for example, must show the groundnut. Added colours must be declared: the FDA keeps an import alert on Nigeria (45-02) for foods with illegal or undeclared colours, which matters for palm oil and coloured spice mixes.
Allergens
The FDA recognises nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame (sesame since 1 January 2023). Each must be declared either in parentheses in the ingredient list or in a "Contains" statement, and for fish and crustaceans the species must be named. This is where Nigerian products most often fail:
- Crayfish in seasonings and soup mixes is a crustacean; name the species.
- Stockfish and dried fish powders are fish; name the species.
- Groundnut in kuli-kuli or yaji is peanut.
- Chin chin and puff-puff mix contain wheat and often milk and eggs.
The FDA says it can refuse imported foods and place them on import alert for allergen labelling violations.
Name and place of business
The manufacturer, packer or distributor must be named with an address. A US importer can appear as the distributor, with wording such as "Distributed by".
The Nutrition Facts panel
Most packaged foods need a Nutrition Facts panel. The FDA's guide describes exemptions for small businesses, but an exemption is lost if the label or advertising makes a nutrient content or health claim. "High in protein" on a pack of dried fish or "low fat" on plantain chips removes the exemption. Small-business exemptions also have conditions that must be met; check the current FDA small business pages before you rely on one.
The FDA guide we cite was revised in January 2013, so check the FDA's current Nutrition Facts label pages, or a food label consultant, for today's format and serving size rules. Base the figures on a laboratory analysis or a recognised nutrient database rather than a supplier's estimate.
Language and origin
All required statements must be in English. If any part of the label uses another language, including Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa or French, every required statement must also appear in that language. Country of origin must be shown conspicuously, near the name of any US place on the label, under CBP's marking rules: "Product of Nigeria".
Example: what a compliant egusi label carries
Example only, for a 1 lb bag of ground egusi with added crayfish, imported and distributed by a Houston company. The figures on the real panel would come from a lab analysis.
- Front panel
- "Ground Egusi (Melon Seed) with Crayfish", and "Net Wt 16 oz (454 g)" in the bottom 30%
- Ingredients
- Ground melon seed, crayfish (name the species), salt
- Allergen statement
- "Contains: Crustacean shellfish (name the species)"
- Nutrition Facts
- Full panel, since the pack carries no exemption basis or the importer chooses not to rely on one
- Business name
- "Distributed by" with the importer's name and address
- Origin
- "Product of Nigeria"
A label checklist
- Common name and net quantity (metric and US units) on the front panel.
- Ingredients in descending order of weight, with colours named.
- All nine major allergens checked; fish and crustacean species named.
- Nutrition Facts panel, or a documented exemption with no nutrient claims.
- Name and address of manufacturer, packer or distributor.
- English throughout, or every required statement in both languages.
- "Product of Nigeria" in a conspicuous place.
- Minimum type size of 1/16 inch for required text.
Labelling is only one of the FDA's import requirements. Facility registration and prior notice are covered in FDA rules for Nigerian foodstuff, and snack-specific points in selling chin chin and plantain chips.
Where Pryme fits
Relabelling in Lagos before shipment usually means paying a printer or packer in naira. A Pryme Business Account, opened from the US, holds USD and NGN with local details for each, Swap shows the rate and fee before you approve, and invoicing helps you bill US shops. See business multicurrency accounts.
Questions people ask
Do Nigerian foods need a Nutrition Facts label in the US?
Most packaged foods do. Small-business exemptions exist, but they are lost if the label makes a nutrient or health claim.
Can my Nigerian food label be in Yoruba or Igbo?
Yes, alongside English. If any other language appears, every required statement must appear in English and in that language.
Is crayfish an allergen on US labels?
Yes. Crayfish is a crustacean shellfish, one of the nine major allergens, and the species must be named.
Does the FDA approve food labels before import?
No. The FDA does not pre-approve labels; problems are found at the border or in the market.
Sources
- FDA: Food Labeling Guide (guidance revised Jan 2013; landing page current as of 15 Jan 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- FDA: Food allergies (content current as of 11 Mar 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- FDA: Import alerts by country, Nigeria (posted 21 Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- eCFR: 21 CFR Part 1, Subpart H, Registration of food facilities (current text) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.