Nigeria Hits WHO Food Safety Benchmark, Unsafe Food Still Kills 53,000 Annually
Nafisat Makinde, Abuja
Nigeria has achieved the World Health Organization’s food safety benchmark for low and middle income countries, but unsafe food continues to cause nearly 50 million illnesses and more than 53,000 deaths annually, according to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The figures were contained in a statement signed by Ado Bako, Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations, following the commemoration of the 2026 World Food Safety Day in Abuja. Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said Nigeria’s 2025 State Party Annual Reporting (SPAR) score of Level 3 places the country ahead of the WHO food safety target for low and middle income countries and Sub Saharan Africa.
SPAR is a WHO assessment framework that measures countries’ capacity to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats. Salako said the rating reflects improvements in Nigeria’s food safety surveillance and response systems, but noted that children under five account for more than 80 percent of the country’s foodborne disease burden.
According to the minister, over 40 million diarrhoeal illnesses recorded annually in Nigeria are linked to foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, Shigella and Rotavirus. He warned that the infections remain major causes of hospitalisation, malnutrition and death among young children.
Salako also raised concerns about chemical contamination, particularly lead exposure through contaminated grains, spices and water sources. “These statistics underscore the urgent need to strengthen food safety systems across the entire food value chain,” he said, calling for stricter surveillance, improved sanitation and stronger compliance with food safety standards.
He said the government has strengthened coordination among relevant agencies through the National Food Safety Management Committee and the implementation of the 2023 National Integrated Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Surveillance and Response, which provide a unified framework for outbreak detection, laboratory confirmation, food recalls and risk communication.
The minister noted that unsafe food causes about 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths globally each year, with Africa bearing the highest per capita burden. He described the figures as a reminder that food safety is not only a health issue but also a development challenge affecting productivity and national well being.
Also speaking, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Daju Kachollom, called for stronger integration of food safety and public health policies. While Nigeria’s improved WHO rating signals progress in preparedness and response, the continued toll of foodborne illnesses highlights the challenge of ensuring safer food for millions of Nigerians.