Nigeria govt launches manual to improve food hygiene standards

The Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology has launched a new manual to guide food safety officers in overseeing and enforcing hygiene standards, particularly among street vendors and in local markets across the country.

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Speaking at the launch in Abuja on Thursday, Veronica Eze, Chief Executive Officer of the council, said the manual will assist in regulating and monitoring food safety practices in Nigerian markets.

Ms Eze said these also includes street vendors, restaurants, bakeries, and other establishments selling food to the public.

She explained that life-threatening conditions such as kidney failure, liver cirrhosis, cancers, and diabetes are increasingly linked to lifestyle choices and the consumption of unsafe food.

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While exact figures on these illnesses and related deaths are unclear, she said, the connection between unsafe food practices and the rise of kidney and liver diseases in Nigeria is evident.

She added that poisoning consumers with contaminated food is more harmful than armed robbery, as it results in slow deaths from various health conditions.

“These practices are criminal, unethical and represent a complete breakdown of food handling standards, to which only licensed food professionals can expectedly be held bound to,” she said.

“The unsafe practices era must stop.”

Ms Eze urged local councils to employ licensed food professionals to monitor and enforce food safety in their communities.

Implications

Across Nigeria, especially in urban and peri-urban areas, street food is a major source of daily feeding for millions.

According to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2024, approximately 600 million people, nearly one in 10 globally, fall ill each year after consuming contaminated food, resulting in 420,000 deaths.

Children under five years old bear 40 per cent of this burden, with 125,000 deaths annually.

These illnesses are often linked to unsafe food handling and preparation practices, which are prevalent in many low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria.

Importance of Food Safety

Speaking at the event, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, food safety lapses go far beyond individual cases of illness.

Mr Pate, who was represented by Adeola Olufowobi-Yusuf from the Ministry’s Food and Drug Department, warned that unsafe food undermines not only public health but also economic progress.

He said unsafe food impacts families, communities, and the nation’s economic development.

“Recent studies by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition have revealed that approximately 20 per cent of hospital admissions in urban areas can be attributed to foodborne diseases,” he said.

“This figure exemplifies our fight against foodborne illness and the importance of food scientists, innovations, and researchers to support this public health priority.”

He added that training for food scientists and safety officers would equip them with the technical and scientific skills needed to strengthen food monitoring systems across Nigeria.

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As efforts to combat the issue intensify, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, said the manual marks a crucial step towards addressing the country’s challenges, particularly within the informal food sector.

Mr Nnaji, who was represented by Samson Duna of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, described the manual as a bold move to put an end to unsafe food handling and ensure lasting change.

He noted that the ministry is supporting capacity-building and continuous training for food safety professionals, while promoting digital platforms to reach informal vendors with food safety education.

He said the initiative aligns with global standards, including those from the WHO, FAO, and Codex.

He also urged local councils to engage licensed food professionals and called on partners to support grassroots efforts, stressing that the manual must be actively used, not shelved.