Abuja: The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, has revealed alarming statistics indicating that Nigeria experiences nearly 50 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually, resulting in more than 53,000 deaths. This announcement was made in Abuja during a news conference commemorating the 2026 World Food Safety Day, themed ‘From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere.’
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Salako emphasized that food safety is a national development priority impacting the health, productivity, and well-being of every Nigerian citizen. He highlighted the recent release of updated global estimates by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which reported that unsafe food causes approximately 866 million cases and 1.5 million deaths globally each year. Notably, Africa bears the highest per-capita burden, with children under five disproportionately affected.
Salako further detailed that in Nigeria, children under five account for more than 80% of all foodborne disease burdens. He explained that the illnesses and deaths linked to unsafe food contribute to a loss of 4.26 million years of healthy life due to illness, disability, or early death. The majority of these cases are driven by diarrhoeal pathogens, including Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, Shigella, and rotavirus, which are major causes of hospitalisation and mortality among children.
He underscored the importance of not only preventing infections but also ensuring that food does not contribute to non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Salako noted that Nigeria is taking decisive action by developing National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction, enforcing sodium limits in processed foods, and implementing trans-fat elimination regulations.
The Minister also highlighted efforts to strengthen taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages and the development of front-of-pack labeling to help consumers make informed food choices. Salako concluded by urging all sectors to play their part in ensuring food safety, including implementing foodborne disease surveillance, enforcing regulations, and investing in safer traditional markets.
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, reiterated the agency’s commitment to reducing the burden of foodborne diseases through science-based regulation and stakeholder engagement. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that all foods in Nigeria meet safety and quality standards.
Dr. Paval Ursu, WHO’s Country Representative for Nigeria, praised the Federal Government’s efforts and called for urgent, coordinated, and sustained actions to ensure food safety. Ursu highlighted that most foodborne diseases are preventable and stressed the need to protect children and strengthen food systems.