Food Safety Is Not Optional, FG Warns as Deaths Mount
Nigeria loses more than 53,000 people each year to diseases linked to contaminated food, with nearly 50 million cases of foodborne illness recorded annually and children under five carrying over 80 per cent of the burden, the Federal Government has revealed.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja during a ministerial press briefing marking the 2026 World Food Safety Day, themed “From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere.” He said updated World Health Organization estimates show that unsafe food continues to exact a heavy human and economic toll on the country.
Salako said foodborne diseases result in about 4.26 million years of healthy life lost annually through illness, disability and premature death. “Most of this burden falls heavily on children under five, who account for more than 80 per cent of all foodborne disease burden in Nigeria,” he said, adding that unsafe food also affects children’s cognitive development, physical growth and future productivity.
The minister identified diarrhoeal diseases as the largest contributor to the burden. He said more than 40 million diarrhoeal illnesses in Nigeria each year are linked to foodborne pathogens, including Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, Shigella and rotavirus. He also flagged growing concern over chemical contamination, particularly lead exposure tied to contaminated grains, spices and water sources.
The figures sit within a wider global picture. New WHO data shows that unsafe food now causes an estimated 866 million cases of foodborne illness and 1.5 million deaths globally, with Africa carrying the highest per-capita burden.
Despite the scale of the problem, Salako said Nigeria has strengthened its food safety systems. He noted that the country’s 2023 Joint External Evaluation recorded measurable improvements across food safety indicators, while its 2025 State Party Annual Report score surpassed the WHO target for low- and middle-income countries. He added that Nigeria now ranks among the leading countries in the region for detecting, reporting and responding to foodborne disease outbreaks, supported by the National Food Safety Management Committee and the National Integrated Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Surveillance and Response.
On unhealthy diets linked to non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, stroke, heart disease and obesity, the minister said Nigeria has developed National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction, while the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has finalised draft regulations to limit sodium in processed foods. He said the country is also moving to eliminate industrial trans fats in line with WHO recommendations and is strengthening policies on sugar-sweetened beverages and front-of-pack labelling.
NAFDAC, in a goodwill message delivered on behalf of its Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, by the Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Eva Edwards, reaffirmed its commitment to reducing foodborne diseases through science-based regulation and surveillance.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Ms. Kachollom Daju, warned that microbial contamination and poor dietary practices were creating a growing public health challenge, and called for coordinated action across government, regulators, academia, industry and civil society. Development partner Resolve to Save Lives pledged continued support for the country’s food safety and nutrition initiatives.
Salako urged the media to intensify public awareness on safe food handling and healthy diets. “Food safety is everyone’s business. It saves lives, strengthens our economy and protects our children,” he said. “The numbers show clearly that food safety is not optional; it is a national imperative.”