53,000 Die Annually from Unsafe Food in Nigeria, Government Reveals

Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako
Honourable Minister of State, Health

"Nigeria is now among the leading countries in the region with functional mechanisms for detecting, reporting, and responding to foodborne disease outbreaks." Salako 

.... Warns about the rising threat posed by chemical contamination, particularly lead exposure from contaminated grains, spices and water sources, which he said is contributing to illness, disability and premature deaths.

The Federal Government has raised concerns over the growing burden of foodborne diseases in Nigeria, revealing that nearly 50 million Nigerians fall ill annually from contaminated food, leading to more than 53,000 deaths each year.

The alarming figures were disclosed by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, during the commemoration of the 2026 World Food Safety Day in Abuja.

Despite the troubling statistics, the Minister said Nigeria has made significant progress in strengthening its food safety systems, noting that the country's 2025 State Party Annual Report (SPAR) score of Level 3 places it ahead of the World Health Organization's food safety target for low- and middle-income countries as well as nations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

According to Salako, Nigeria is now among the leading countries in the region with functional mechanisms for detecting, reporting, and responding to foodborne disease outbreaks.

He attributed the achievement to improved collaboration among stakeholders through the National Food Safety Management Committee and the implementation of the 2023 National Integrated Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Surveillance and Response.

The guidelines, he explained, have established a coordinated national framework for disease surveillance, laboratory confirmation, outbreak investigation, food recall, risk communication and response management.

Highlighting the scale of the challenge, the Minister said children under the age of five account for more than 80 per cent of Nigeria's foodborne disease burden.

He noted that over 40 million diarrhoeal illnesses recorded annually in the country are linked to foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Campylobacter, Shigella and Rotavirus.

“These infections remain major causes of hospitalisation, malnutrition and death among young children,” he said.

Salako also warned about the rising threat posed by chemical contamination, particularly lead exposure from contaminated grains, spices and water sources, which he said is contributing to illness, disability and premature deaths.

Citing recent global estimates, the Minister disclosed that unsafe food causes approximately 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths worldwide every year, with Africa bearing the highest per-capita burden.

He stressed that the figures underscore the urgent need to strengthen food safety systems across the entire food value chain, from production and processing to storage, transportation and retail.

The Minister called for intensified surveillance of chemical contaminants and heavy metals, improved food handling practices in traditional markets, stronger sanitation and water infrastructure, enhanced laboratory capacity, and stricter compliance with national food safety standards.

He also urged the media to play a more active role in promoting food safety awareness and educating the public on preventive measures.

Daju Kachollom
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare

Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Mrs. Daju Kachollom, emphasized the need for a more integrated approach linking food safety and healthy diets.

She noted that recent national and global assessments have shown a strong connection between foodborne diseases and poor nutrition, stressing the importance of coordinated interventions to improve public health outcomes.

Representatives of key agencies and development partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and the Federal Ministries of Environment, Agriculture and Food Security, as well as Marine and Blue Economy, echoed calls for stronger collaboration to ensure safer food for all Nigerians.

The stakeholders agreed that food safety is a shared responsibility requiring coordinated action across government institutions, the private sector and consumers to reduce preventable illnesses and strengthen national health security.