Nigerian lawmakers worry over 53,000 annual deaths linked to unsafe food

Nigerian lawmakers have called for urgent action to bolster the nation's food safety system, citing alarming statistics of approximately 50 million foodborne illnesses and over 53,000 related deaths annually. The House of Representatives urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, NAFDAC, SON, and NCDC to enhance surveillance, inspection, and certification across the entire food production value chain.

The motion, sponsored by Billy Osawaru, highlighted unsafe food as a major public health and economic challenge. Citing World Health Organization figures, Osawaru noted that unsafe food causes about 866 million illnesses globally each year, leading to approximately 1.5 million deaths, with Africa disproportionately affected. He acknowledged Nigeria's recent improvements, including a Level Three rating in the WHO 2025 State Party Annual Report, placing it among leading Sub-Saharan African countries with functional foodborne disease outbreak systems.

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Despite the federal government’s commitment to reducing foodborne diseases, Nigeria still records approximately 50 million foodborne illnesses and more than 53,000 deaths caused by unsafe food every year.

However, Osawaru warned that these gains are threatened by persistent issues. These include poor hygiene among food handlers, chemical contamination, open defecation, inadequate access to clean water, weak regulatory enforcement by agencies like NAFDAC, and poor infrastructure in markets and abattoirs. These factors continue to expose millions of Nigerians to contaminated food, resulting in preventable illnesses and deaths.

Beyond the health implications, foodborne diseases impose a significant economic burden on Nigeria, estimated at $3.6 billion annually due to reduced productivity, medical costs, and trade restrictions. Lawmaker Osawaru also linked recurring cholera outbreaks to contaminated food and water, underscoring the critical need for improved food safety standards and practices throughout the country.

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Unsafe food causes about 866 million illnesses globally every year, equivalent to one in every nine people and is responsible for approximately 1.5 million deaths annually, with Africa bearing the highest burden.