Chiemelie Ezeobi
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Geoffrey Nnaji, has raised the alarm over Nigeria’s deepening food safety crisis, revealing that approximately 200,000 Nigerians die each year due to foodborne illnesses.
He stated that the Federal Government would henceforth apply the full weight of the law on individuals and businesses involved in the criminal and unethical practices of food adulteration and contamination.
Quoting statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Minister noted that over 600 million people fall ill globally each year from eating contaminated food, with 420,000 deaths recorded across sub-Saharan Africa and an alarming 200,000 of those in Nigeria alone.
Speaking at the official launch of the Food Safety Operational Manual and training for Food Safety Desk Officers on Thursday in Abuja, Chief Nnaji, who was represented by Professor Samson Duna, Director-General of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, described food safety as more than a health issue. According to him, it is a national security priority, a development imperative and a catalyst for inclusive growth that aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said the Ministry, through its agencies including the Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology (NiCoFST), is intensifying efforts to strengthen regulatory oversight, especially at the local government level where supervision of food safety remains weakest.
“Food safety is a science-driven enterprise. Our agencies and research institutions have been directed to develop cost-effective technologies for food preservation and quality assurance, promote indigenous innovations that respect Nigeria’s culinary diversity, and deploy mobile and digital tools to train informal food vendors across both rural and urban areas,” Chief Nnaji stated.
The Minister commended the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NiCoFST, Mrs Veronica Ezeh, and her team for their professionalism, dedication and foresight in developing what he described as the country’s first-of-its-kind food safety operational manual.
Earlier, Mrs Ezeh warned food vendors, restaurants and food business operators to desist from the criminal act of food adulteration and other unethical practices that violate the Nigerian constitution and endanger public health.
She listed common but hazardous practices that are prevalent in the food industry, including Washing fruits and vegetables with detergents to make them appear fresher; and Removing animal skin with burning tyres.
Others include Using carbides to ripen fruits; Cooking meat with paracetamol as a tenderiser; and Adding harmful dyes such as Sudan IV to enhance the colour of red oil and pepper.
“These acts lead to severe health consequences including kidney failure, liver cirrhosis, malnutrition and cancer. Yet they persist in many food businesses due to weak enforcement and lack of trained professionals,” she said.
Mrs Ezeh further lamented the failure of most local government authorities to employ qualified food safety professionals, despite constitutional provisions mandating them to do so. She called on the chairpersons of all 774 local government areas to prioritise the recruitment of licensed food safety experts, while urging policymakers and development partners to institutionalise food safety frameworks and support community-level food safety initiatives.
More than 150 participants, including food safety desk officers, representatives of food regulatory agencies, area councils and food business operators, were trained on the use of the new manual during the event.
The initiative is part of a broader strategy to reduce Nigeria’s high foodborne illness burden and ensure safer food handling practices nationwide.
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