FG sounds alarm as unsafe food threatens lives of millions of Nigerians

By Olayimika Raimi 

Nigeria is facing a mounting public health crisis as food borne diseases continue to claim tens of thousands of lives annually, with children under five bearing the heaviest burden.

At a ministerial press briefing in Abuja to mark the 2026 World Food Safety Day, themed “From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere,” the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, revealed that unsafe food is responsible for more than 53,000 deaths and nearly 50 million illnesses each year in Nigeria.

Describing food safety as a national development and health security priority, Salako warned that the consequences extend far beyond illness and mortality.

“The true cost of unsafe food in Nigeria is not only measured in sickness and death, but also in the lost cognitive, physical and developmental potential of our children,” he stated.

According to the minister, Nigeria loses an estimated 4.26 million years of healthy life annually due to foodborne diseases, through illness, disability, and premature death. Alarmingly, children under five account for more than 80 per cent of this burden.

Salako’s remarks align with recent estimates by the World Health Organization, which indicate that unsafe food causes approximately 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths globally each year, with Africa recording the highest per-capita burden.

He noted that Nigeria has strengthened its collaboration with international health bodies, particularly through improved surveillance systems and compliance with global standards. The country’s 2023 Joint External Evaluation recorded measurable progress across food safety indicators, while its 2025 State Party Annual Report exceeded WHO targets for low- and middle-income countries.

“Nigeria is now one of the leading countries in the region in establishing functional systems for detecting, reporting and responding to foodborne disease events,” Salako said.

Diarrhoeal diseases remain the leading cause of foodborne illness in Nigeria, accounting for over 40 million cases annually. These are linked to pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, Shigella, and rotavirus.

“These infections continue to be a major cause of hospitalisation, malnutrition and mortality among our youngest citizens,” the minister added.

Beyond microbial contamination, Salako raised concerns about growing exposure to chemical hazards. Lead contamination in grains, spices, and water sources is now responsible for tens of thousands of healthy life years lost annually.

“These numbers underscore the urgency of strengthening food safety systems across the entire value chain,” he stressed.

The minister emphasized that food safety must also address the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and stroke.

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“Food safety is not only about preventing infections; it is also about ensuring that the food we eat does not contribute to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases,” he said.

To tackle this, Nigeria has introduced several policy measures, including National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction; Draft sodium reduction regulations by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control; Industrial trans-fat elimination regulations.Strengthened sugar-sweetened beverage tax initiatives, Front-of-pack food labelling systems

Also speaking at the event, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to improving food safety through science-based regulation and surveillance.

Represented by Eva Edwards, she described food safety as a critical public health and development issue.

“Behind every statistic on foodborne disease is a child, a family, a community or a business affected by preventable illness and loss,” she said.

Adeyeye stressed that safe food is essential to achieving national nutrition goals, noting that unsafe food undermines immunity and overall health outcomes.

Meanwhile, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa urged the government to expand food safety policies to include stronger regulation of unhealthy diets.

CAPPA Executive Director, Oluwafemi Akinbode, warned that excessive consumption of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats is driving a surge in chronic diseases.

“Food safety is not only about preventing food poisoning. It is also about ensuring that the foods and drinks available to Nigerians do not slowly undermine their health and well-being,” he said.

The group called for stricter sodium reduction targets, front-of-pack warning labels, and tighter restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children.

As Nigeria marks the eighth observance of World Food Safety Day, health authorities agree that the latest figures should serve as a wake-up call.

“Food safety is everyone’s business,” Salako concluded. “It saves lives, strengthens our economy and protects our children. These numbers show that food safety is not optional; it is a national health security priority.”