The Federal Government yesterday expressed concerns over the growing burden of food-borne diseases in Nigeria, disclosing that unsafe food causes more than 53,000 deaths and nearly 50 million illnesses annually across the country.
It lamented that these illnesses and deaths result in a staggering 4.26 million years of healthy life lost to illness, disability, or early death. According to the government, children under five account for over 80 per cent of all foodborne disease burden in Nigeria.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed this in Abuja during a ministerial press briefing to commemorate the 2026 World Food Safety Day, themed “From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere.”
Salako described food safety as a critical national development and health security issue, warning that the true cost of unsafe food extended beyond sickness and death to the loss of human capital, particularly among children.
He revealed that Nigeria loses an estimated 4.26 million years of healthy life annually to foodborne diseases through illness, disability and premature death
According to him, “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 noted that children under five account for more than 80 per cent of the country’s food-borne disease burden.
“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 added.
The minister’s remarks came on the heels of newly released estimates by the World Health Organisation showing that unsafe food causes about 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths globally each year, with Africa bearing the highest per-capita burden.
According to Salako, diarrhoeal diseases remained the leading cause of foodborne illnesses in Nigeria, with more than 40 million cases linked to pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, Shigella and rotavirus.
“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.
while warning of increasing exposure to chemical contaminants, he stated that, “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.”
Despite the challenges, Salako maintained that Nigeria had made notable progress in building a stronger food safety system.
He said the country’s 2023 Joint External Evaluation recorded measurable improvements across all food safety indicators, while Nigeria’s 2025 State Party Annual Report score surpassed the World Health Organisation target 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.
The minister, however, stressed that the latest figures should serve as a 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,” he said.
Salako also linked food safety to the country’s growing burden of non-communicable diseases, including 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.
He disclosed that Nigeria had developed National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction, while the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had finalised draft sodium reduction regulations aimed at reducing salt levels in processed foods.
According to him, the country was also implementing industrial trans-fat elimination regulations and strengthening efforts to improve the sugar-sweetened beverage tax and front-of-pack food labelling systems to encourage healthier food choices.
Salako urged food manufacturers, regulators, researchers and consumers to support efforts aimed at ensuring safer and healthier food for Nigerians.
“Food safety is everyone’s business. It saves lives, strengthens our economy and protects our children. These numbers show that food safety is not optional; it is a national health security priority,” he said.
