Nigeria loses about $3.6 billion every year to food contamination, while foodborne illnesses are estimated to cause more than 200,000 deaths annually, amid concerns over unsafe additives, chemical contamination and poor food-handling practices.
The growing crisis is raising serious public health concerns, with experts warning that prolonged exposure to contaminated food and harmful chemicals can contribute to organ damage, cancer and metabolic diseases.
From roadside food vendors and open markets to restaurants and packaged products, concerns about the safety of food consumed daily by millions of Nigerians are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Economic hardship has further complicated the situation. Rising food prices, inflation, shrinking purchasing power and currency devaluation have pushed some vendors towards dangerous cost-cutting practices and food fraud.
Food poisoning leaves lasting fear
Martins Akinfeleye, a civil servant in the Federal Capital Territory, experienced the consequences firsthand after eating food purchased from a restaurant in Gwarimpa.
His driver had bought lunch from a different restaurant after Martins’ usual outlet ran out of his preferred meal. Within two hours, he became weak and was rushed to hospital, where he was diagnosed with food poisoning.
Although he recovered after treatment, the experience left him fearful of food prepared outside his home. For months, he avoided restaurants.
Tina Hassan, a mother of two, also suffered food poisoning after eating snacks served at an event.
“I attended an event and was served a pack of snacks, which contained meat pie, fish pie and a sandwich as refreshment. But the problem was with the meat pie because when I tasted it, there was something odd about it,” she said.
“About two hours after, I had a serious stomach cramp that progressed to something else. I collapsed; the food poisoning left me in bed for two days. I was throwing up and was totally down with a serious stomach ache and general body weakness.”
Unsafe food practices deepen crisis
Food safety expert John Tehinse told The Guardian that Nigeria’s food safety situation is precarious and remains far behind international best practices.
He said the nature of the crisis is also changing, with food safety increasingly linked to non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.
“A few years ago, we were thinking of food safety by the addition of chemicals that make food unsafe, acute things that make you feel sick almost immediately,” Tehinse said.
“But nowadays, food safety is drifting; we are seeing more situations where issues pile up and can take years to resolve.”
He also warned about the growing dependence on ultra-processed foods containing high levels of sodium, sugar, trans fats and calories.
Tehinse further highlighted deliberate food adulteration, including the use of carbide, Sudan red and diesel in food products, as well as the spraying of fresh meat with pesticides to keep flies away.
“Things you do knowingly, but because of the monetary value. So, we have lost our direction,” he said.
Street food and markets under scrutiny
Street food, snacks and fresh fruits remain popular across Nigeria because they are affordable and convenient. However, poor hygiene, contaminated water, exposure to dust and vehicle emissions, flies and inadequate waste disposal can increase contamination risks.
Reports of adulterated palm oil containing Sudan IV dye, the use of paracetamol to tenderise meat, detergent to accelerate cassava fermentation, rat poison to preserve grains and calcium carbide to ripen fruit have heightened concerns.
The use of mouldy or maggot-infested tomatoes is another problem, particularly among traders seeking to reduce food losses.
According to studies by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), about 20 per cent of hospital admissions in urban areas of Nigeria are attributable to foodborne diseases.
GAIN estimates that the resulting “silent epidemic” costs Nigeria about $3.6 billion annually.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 600 million people globally fall ill each year after consuming contaminated food, resulting in 420,000 deaths and 33 million lost healthy life years.
Africa bears the highest per-capita burden, with children under five accounting for about 30 per cent of foodborne disease deaths globally.
In Nigeria, foodborne illnesses are estimated to cause about 173 million cases of diarrhoea and between 33,000 and 200,000 deaths annually.
Chemicals pose serious health risks
Findings by The Guardian also revealed the availability of chemicals used to preserve food staples such as beans.
At Garki Modern Market in Abuja, a trader reportedly offered aluminium phosphide tablets after being asked for chemicals to protect beans from weevils.
Aluminium phosphide is approved in Nigeria for professional preservation of stored grains, but it is a restricted-use chemical. Its use by untrained individuals is strongly discouraged because of its high toxicity.
Prof Olugbenga Ogunmoleya, president of the Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative (CAFSANI), described Nigeria’s food safety situation as a critical public health concern.
He said weak and fragmented enforcement remains a major problem despite existing regulations.
Unsafe food practices, he added, are driven by ignorance, poverty, greed, inadequate regulation and weak enforcement.
“The outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, contamination by chemical residues, and the unchecked use of unwholesome food additives and unsafe food handling practices have become increasingly commonplace,” Ogunmoleya said.
He also pointed to the largely informal nature of Nigeria’s food distribution system, where many vendors operate without licences, certification or formal food safety training.
Packaged foods face growing scrutiny
Concerns about food safety have also extended to packaged products.
In September 2023, Chioma Okoli criticised Nagiko Tomato Mix, manufactured by Erisco Foods Limited, in a Facebook post, saying the product was overly sugary. The post generated a public debate and eventually led to her arrest and prosecution over alleged cybercrime offences.
More recently, TikToker Love Dooshima posted a video showing a loaf of bread she claimed remained fresh and soft after two months.
The bread maker, Food & Food Integrated Company Limited, later sued her for N50 million over alleged reputational and financial damage. NAFDAC subsequently cleared the product, confirming that the manufacturer complied with regulatory standards.
Public concerns have also surrounded the sugar content of Nestlé Milo products sold in Nigeria.
Critics alleged that the product contained more than 50g of sugar per 100g of powder. Nestlé defended the formulation, saying Milo provides vitamins, malt and energy, while its total sugar content includes naturally occurring lactose from milk and maltose.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has also directed manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to withdraw products carrying incomplete, misleading or deceptive labels.
Long-term exposure could damage organs
Dr Jennifer Aloh, a consultant physician and gastroenterologist at Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, warned that exposure to toxic chemicals used in food preservation can have both immediate and long-term consequences.
“The effect depends on the type and concentration of what is used. In the long term, they contribute to some types of cancer or organ damage (especially kidney and liver) and many other metabolic diseases,” she said.
She added that acute exposure could cause stomach pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, gastrointestinal bleeding, extreme weakness, seizures and death.
Food contamination can occur at almost every stage of the food chain, including farming, transportation, storage, processing, preparation and sale.
Weak enforcement remains a major concern
The responsibility for food safety is spread across different levels of government and regulatory agencies.
According to Nasir Abdullahi Argungu, technical assistant to the Director of the Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate of NAFDAC, local governments and states are responsible for ensuring hygiene among informal food vendors.
“None of those things is the responsibility of NAFDAC. NAFDAC deals with processed and packaged food,” Argungu said.
He acknowledged concerns about the performance of local councils, adding that NAFDAC conducts post-marketing surveillance and takes action where matters fall within its mandate.
He said about 60 per cent of Nigerian produce comes from the informal sector, making food safety at the local government level crucial to the wider food supply chain.
New manual targets food safety gaps
The Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology (NiCFOST) has launched a Food Safety Operational Manual aimed at improving standards among food vendors, traders and other food businesses.
The manual provides guidelines for food inspection, documentation and reporting, while targeting violations such as poor refrigeration, unsafe handling and the use of unapproved chemicals.
NiCFOST Registrar Veronica Nkechi Ezeh described the manual as an important tool for Food Safety Desk Officers working in local council markets, shops, kiosks, restaurants, bakeries and other food outlets.
With food contamination continuing to threaten lives and impose a heavy economic burden, experts say stronger enforcement, better public education and improved hygiene across the food chain are essential to reversing Nigeria’s food safety crisis.
