Yearly 200,000 Food-Related Illness Unacceptable – FG

The Federal Government has decried the country’s data that showed citizens suffer 200,000 food-related illnesses yearly.

Naijaonpoint reports that the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology,  Uche Nnaji, said the high data on food-related illness poses a threat to the nation’s security.

Nnaji stated this on Thursday, in Abuja, at the official launch of Nigeria’s first-ever Food Safety Operational Manual.

He described the Food Safety Operational Manual as a historic step toward protecting public health, empowering food handlers, and driving inclusive innovation across the country.

“I want to make it clear: food safety is not just a health issue. It is a matter of national interest, a development imperative, and a question of security. The alarming number of food-related illnesses and deaths — estimated at over 200,000 annually in Nigeria alone — is unacceptable.

“That is why our Ministry regards food safety as a science-driven and innovation-enabled mandate. We are deploying affordable food preservation technologies, supporting indigenous innovation, and developing mobile tools to train informal food vendors — from bustling city centers to rural communities,” he said.

While commending the Nigerian Council for Food Science and Technology (NiCFoST), led by Veronica Nkechi Ezeh, Nanji stressed that the operational manual would serve as a nationwide reference tool to monitor, train, and enforce safe food handling, especially within Nigeria’s vast informal food sector.

He warned food processors against using toxic chemicals in foods, stating that the government would go after food vendors who apply unethical practices.

“Our message to all food vendors, handlers, and processors is clear: unethical practices such as food adulteration, use of toxic chemicals, and ignorance of hygiene standards will no longer be tolerated. From now on, only trained, licensed professionals will be recognized in food monitoring and enforcement roles,” he stated.

He added that the manual reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment in areas of public health, job creation, innovation, and food security.

“I commend all our partners — from NAFDAC to SON, RMRDC, NiCFoST, and the local councils — for standing with us to build a healthier, safer, and more resilient Nigeria.

“The future of our nation depends not only on what we eat, but how it is handled. Let us protect it together,” he added.