Nigeria: Nigerian Lawmakers Worry Over 53,000 Annual Deaths Linked to Unsafe Food

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a Premium Times report from Abuja, said Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Tuesday moved to tighten food safety controls after lawmakers raised concern over the scale of foodborne disease in the country. The report said the House cited about 50 million annual cases of foodborne illness and more than 53,000 deaths linked to unsafe food, following a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Billy Osawaru of Edo State.

According to the report, lawmakers asked the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, NAFDAC, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention to improve surveillance, inspections and certification across food production and distribution. Osawaru also cited World Health Organisation figures on the global burden of unsafe food and said Africa carries a particularly heavy share of the impact.

Premium Times reported that Osawaru acknowledged Nigeria’s recent progress, including a Level Three rating in the WHO 2025 State Party Annual Report for foodborne disease detection, reporting and response. He warned, however, that poor hygiene among food handlers, chemical contamination, open defecation, limited potable water, weak enforcement and inadequate market and abattoir infrastructure continue to undermine those gains. He also linked recurring cholera outbreaks in several states to contaminated food and water, citing NCDC reporting.

The House directed its committees on Healthcare Services and on Food Safety and Nutrition to work with relevant agencies on funding for modern food-testing equipment, training and certification of food handlers, and possible changes to food safety laws. Lawmakers also urged increased investment in clean water and sanitation, along with public awareness campaigns on hygiene and the risks of contaminated food and water.