By Mercy Gadia
The Federal Government has said Nigeria has surpassed the World Health Organisation’s food safety target for low- and middle-income countries, citing improvements in surveillance and response systems.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed this during the 2026 World Food Safety Day celebration held in Abuja.
Salako said Nigeria’s 2025 State Party Annual Report score of Level 3 places the country ahead of WHO’s benchmark for Sub-Saharan Africa.
He said, “Nigeria is now among leading countries in the region with functional systems for detecting, reporting and responding to foodborne disease events.”
The minister noted that the National Food Safety Management Committee had strengthened collaboration across relevant sectors, while the 2023 National Integrated Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Surveillance and Response had established a unified system for outbreak investigation, food recall and risk communication.
He described the 2026 theme, ‘From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere,’ as a reminder that food safety is a critical development issue affecting public health and productivity.
Despite the progress, Salako raised concerns over the burden of foodborne diseases globally and locally.
“Unsafe food causes about 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths annually worldwide, with Africa bearing the highest per capita burden,” he said.
He added that Nigeria records nearly 50 million foodborne illness cases yearly, resulting in over 53,000 deaths, with children under five accounting for more than 80 per cent of the burden.
According to him, diarrhoeal diseases linked to pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter and Shigella contribute significantly to hospitalisation and mortality.
“These infections remain major causes of malnutrition and death among children, while chemical hazards like lead exposure are emerging concerns,” he added.
Salako called for intensified surveillance, improved hygiene practices, stronger laboratory capacity and better compliance with food safety standards, particularly in informal markets.
He also urged the media to amplify food safety awareness.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, said the event’s theme reflected the need to integrate food safety with broader health strategies.
She said, “Food safety and healthy diets must be treated as two key pillars of national development.”
Kachollom urged stakeholders to collaborate on practical and inclusive solutions to strengthen Nigeria’s food system.
Goodwill messages from stakeholders, including government ministries, regulatory agencies and development partners, emphasised the need for coordinated action and shared responsibility in ensuring food safety.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, noted that environmental factors such as poor sanitation, unsafe water and climate change contribute to foodborne diseases in Nigeria.
Also speaking, a representative of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Eva Edward, said food safety standards remained critical for consumer protection and confidence.
A World Health Organisation representative, Pindar Wakawa, said safe food is a fundamental human right and called for urgent action to protect vulnerable populations, especially children.
He added that most foodborne diseases are preventable and commended Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen regulatory frameworks and partnerships.