2025 World Food Safety Day: FG Charts Science-Based Food Safety Roadmap in Nigeria

"By harnessing cutting-edge research, risk assessment methodologies, and foodborne disease surveillance, we are building a resilient system that anticipates threats before they arise." Daju Kachollom Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.



The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, on behalf of the Federal Government has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to transforming Nigeria’s food safety system through a robust, science-driven strategy.

Making this known on Monday 16 June, is Daju Kachollom, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare when she delivered the keynote address of the 2025 World Food Safety Day celebration in Abuja. 

Kachallom, in her address at the event, themed; “Food Safety: Science in Action,” stressed that a new era of evidence-based food safety policy in Nigeria has birthed.

Expressing a “determined optimism”, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social underscored that science must no longer remain at the fringes of policy development but be the foundation upon which all regulatory and safety interventions are built.

“By harnessing cutting-edge research, risk assessment methodologies, and foodborne disease surveillance, we are building a resilient system that anticipates threats before they arise. 

“This is not mere rhetoric. It is our blueprint for ensuring that every meal in Nigeria is safe, healthy, and trustworthy.”


The Permanent Secretary highlighted several milestone policies spearheaded by the Ministry, including the revised National Policy on Food Safety and Quality, the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction, and the National Guideline for Food Handlers’ Medical Test. She noted that these policies have already begun to reshape food industry practices and public health outcomes.

“These guidelines have set new benchmarks for consumer protection and hygiene standards. They are not ends in themselves but stepping stones toward a safer and more responsive food system.” she stated.

Kachallom announced plans to scale up digital traceability systems and strengthen laboratory testing protocols: tools she said will give regulators and industry actors real-time insights into safety lapses and enable faster, targeted interventions.

She gave special attention to the Ministry’s newly activated Technical Working Groups (TWGs), which she described as “the engine rooms of Nigeria’s food safety future”, stressing that these TWGs are working across critical focus areas including risk-based regulation, traceability, food inspection, and science-based education to provide technical recommendations grounded in validated research.


“Every decision moving forward will be driven by data, peer-reviewed science, and verified field studies. This is how we will preempt food safety risks and not merely react to crises,” she said.

Looking ahead, Kachollom revealed the Ministry’s plans to invest in specialised training programmes for regulators and food safety professionals across Nigeria.

“We are building a new generation of experts scientifically equipped, technically sound, and deeply committed to safeguarding public health,” she declared.

Kachollom made it clear that the country’s food safety framework must evolve continuously to meet both emerging risks and the technological advancements reshaping global food systems.

In a stirring call to action, Kachollom charged all pillars of Nigeria’s food ecosystem to embrace their roles in the transformation:

Researchers must drive innovation in surveillance tools and riskmodellingg;

Academic institutions must nurture food safety experts through multidisciplinary training;

The food industry must invest in technologies that combine safety with nutrition;

Regulators must stay ahead by adapting policies in line with new scientific evidence.

“United in purpose and driven by science, we can forge a food safety landscape that is future-ready, resilient, and inclusive,” she said.

Dr. Daju Kachollom praised the ongoing contributions of farmers, researchers, regulators, and development partners; stating that their collaboration forms the backbone of Nigeria’s food safety reform.

“Every actor, from the scientist in the lab to the food handler in a local kitchen, plays a critical role in shaping a safer tomorrow. We must all be ambassadors of this shared vision,” she said.

“Let us embrace scientific innovation. Let us pursue collaborative excellence. Let us build on our collective achievements. The Nigeria we are building begins with the food we make safe today.

“The helm of the 2025 World Food Safety Day commemoration, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has sent a clear message: Food safety is not an afterthought, but a public health priority powered by science. The Ministry’s actions mark a strategic shift from reactive regulation to anticipatory governance anchored in research, driven by innovation, and aimed at securing the health of all Nigerians,” she highlighted.

In her opening remarks, Mrs. Olubunmi Aribeana, Director Food and Drug Services Department of the Ministry stressed the collective responsibility required to maintain food safety across the entire supply chain.

“Food safety is everyone’s business from the farmer and processor to the retailer, transporter, and consumer. Each of us has a role to play by adhering to standards rooted in scientific evidence,” she said.

She further noted that strengthening food safety in Nigeria will not only improve public health but also enhance consumer confidence in local food products and promote the country’s competitiveness in global trade.


According to Mrs. Aribeana, "to further institutionalize science-based approaches, the Ministry has activated Technical Working Groups (TWGs) covering areas such as food inspection, traceability technology, and risk-based regulation.

“These TWGs, composed of experts from academia, regulatory agencies, and the private sector, are expected to drive innovation and ensure rigorous validation of food safety initiatives before implementation.”

In his speech, Dr. John Atanda, Director and National Coordinator, Food Safety and Quality Programme of the Ministry, provided a sobering insight into the global burden of foodborne diseases.

“Globally, 600 million people fall ill from unsafe food each year and, low-and middle-income countries bear the brunt of this burden with over $110 billion lost annually due to productivity loss and healthcare costs,” he said.

Atanda emphasized that food safety is more than a technical issue, it is a life-saving imperative. He called for stronger integration of science into food policy formulation, urging all stakeholders to support nationwide risk assessment and surveillance initiatives

Also, gratitude was also extended to development partners, international organizations, and local stakeholders whose continued support has been instrumental in advancing Nigeria’s food safety agenda.

The commemoration was spiced with goodwill messages delivered by collaborating MDAs which include Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Livestock Development, Environment and Industry Trade & Investment plus international partners.

This year’s World Food Safety Day served not only as a moment of reflection but also as a bold reaffirmation of Nigeria’s resolve to integrate science into the heart of food policy. As the nation looks to the future, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has made it clear: food safety is a national priority and science is the engine that will drive it forward.
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