The Federal Government has sounded the alarm over the devastating impact of foodborne diseases in Nigeria, revealing that unsafe food is responsible for more than 53,000 deaths and nearly 50 million illnesses across the country every year.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during a ministerial briefing to mark the 2026 World Food Safety Day, themed “From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere.”
Describing food safety as both a public health and national development priority, Salako said the consequences of unsafe food extend far beyond illness and mortality, with children bearing the greatest burden.
“Nigeria records nearly 50 million foodborne illnesses every year, and unsafe food causes more than 53,000 deaths annually in our country. Together, these illnesses and deaths result in a staggering 4.26 million years of healthy life lost to illness, disability or early death,” he said.
According to the minister, foodborne diseases rob the country of an estimated 4.26 million years of healthy life annually through sickness, disability and premature death.
He expressed concern that children under the age of five account for the overwhelming majority of cases, warning that unsafe food is undermining the country’s human capital development efforts.
“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. 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,” Salako stated.
The minister cited recent estimates from the World Health Organisation indicating that unsafe food causes approximately 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths globally each year, with Africa carrying the highest burden relative to its population.
He noted that diarrhoeal diseases remain Nigeria’s most prevalent foodborne health challenge, accounting for more than 40 million illnesses annually.
“Over 40 million diarrhoeal illnesses in Nigeria are linked to foodborne pathogens. These infections continue to be a major cause of hospitalisation, malnutrition and mortality among our youngest citizens,” he said.
Salako identified common foodborne pathogens responsible for these illnesses to include Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, Shigella and rotavirus.
Beyond biological contamination, the minister warned that chemical hazards are becoming an increasingly serious public health concern.
“Chemical hazards are also emerging as a serious concern, with lead exposure responsible for tens of thousands of healthy lives lost through contaminated grains, spices and water sources. These numbers underscore the urgency of strengthening food safety systems across the entire value chain,” he added.
Despite the grim statistics, Salako said Nigeria has made significant progress in strengthening its food safety architecture.
According to him, the country’s 2023 Joint External Evaluation recorded improvements across all food safety indicators, while its 2025 State Party Annual Report score exceeded the World Health Organisation benchmark 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,” he said.
Nevertheless, the minister stressed that the latest findings should serve as a national wake-up call.
“The new WHO estimates are a call to action. We must intensify surveillance for heavy metals and chemical contaminants. We must improve food safety practices in traditional and informal markets where most Nigerians buy their food. We must strengthen hygiene, water and sanitation infrastructure and ensure food business operators comply with national standards,” Salako stated.
He also linked food safety to the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, stroke, diabetes and obesity.
“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.
As part of efforts to promote healthier diets, Salako disclosed that Nigeria has developed National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction, while the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has completed draft regulations aimed at reducing salt levels in processed foods.
He added that the government is implementing industrial trans-fat elimination regulations and exploring stronger sugar-sweetened beverage taxation and front-of-pack food labelling systems to encourage healthier consumer choices.
Speaking at the event, Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described food safety as a critical public health and economic issue that requires collective action.
Represented by the Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate, Mrs. Eva Edwards, Adeyeye said the impact of unsafe food extends beyond health to livelihoods and national development.
“The theme for the 2026 World Food Safety Day, ‘From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere,’ reminds us that food safety is not merely a technical issue; it is a public health, socioeconomic and development imperative. Behind every statistic on foodborne disease is a child, a family, a community or a business affected by preventable illness and loss,” she said.
She called for sustained collaboration among government agencies, food producers, businesses and consumers to ensure safer food systems and reduce the burden of preventable diseases across the country.
World Food Safety Day is observed annually on June 7 to raise awareness about the importance of preventing, detecting and managing foodborne risks. The campaign is led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to promote safer food systems globally.
In Nigeria, concerns over food contamination, poor hygiene practices, chemical residues, adulteration and weak enforcement of food safety standards continue to pose significant public health challenges, particularly among vulnerable populations such as children.Top of Form
