The Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology on Thursday launched a first-of-its-kind manual to guide food safety desk officers in controlling, regulating, and monitoring food safety practices among street vendors and Nigerian markets.
The manual on food safety operational manual for business operators (market and street vendors) in Nigeria offers clear, practical procedures for inspection, documentation, reporting, and equipping inspectors with the competence required to assess and guide food business operators effectively.
Speaking at the launch of the manual and training of food scientific officers in Abuja, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the council, Mrs Veronica Eze, noted that the manual will help to regulate and monitor food safety practices in Nigerian markets, street shops, restaurants, bakeries, and other places for sale of food to the public, where the local governments hold regulatory and control authority.
She said, “This manual will also equip and empower the food safety officers with adequate knowledge to detect, identify, and mitigate some unethical and fraudulent practices of food vendors that tend to put the lives of those innocent, vulnerable Nigerians, especially in the rural underserved.
“Life-threatening and terminal illnesses like kidney failure, liver cirrhosis, cancers, and diabetes are increasingly linked to lifestyle choices and the consumption of unsafe food; they are most implicated in that Why exact numbers of these illnesses and possible deaths are increasing, the correlation between unsafe food practices and the prevalence of kidney and liver diseases in Nigeria is evident.”
She stated that causing unsuspecting consumers to eat food contaminated with unapproved or non-food-grade chemicals is worse than cases of armed robbery, as it leads to slow and gradual deaths from ailments such as kidney failure, liver cirrhosis, malnutrition, and cancer.
“These practices are criminal, unethical, and represent a complete breakdown of food handling standards, to which only licensed food professionals can be expected to be held bound. The unsafe practice era must stop.
Additionally, food-borne diseases are purposely inflicted on consumers, which is attributable to ignorance and poses a serious risk to public health. They include poor food treatment practices such as inadequate refrigeration, prolonged handling, improper reheating of cooked food, and food contamination by commercial and household food handlers,” she highlighted.
She further encouraged local government councils to engage qualified and licensed food professionals and ensure they are positioned to monitor and enforce safe food handling practices in their communities.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, noted that the manual will address the challenges confronting food safety across Nigeria, especially in the informal sector.
Nnaji, who was represented by the Director General of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, Samson Duna, said the manual is a significant step towards ensuring that it must stop and never continue.
“As the supervising ministry, we are committed to translating this manual into real-world action, not to be on the shelf, but we are going to back it in the ministry with action. In view of that, we are mandating our agencies and research institutes to produce affordable technologies for food processing and preservation. We are also supporting capacity building and continuous training for food safety professionalism.
“We are also encouraging the use of mobile and digital platforms to deliver safety education to informal vendors and working to align this initiative with international best practices, including the World Health Organization, the Food and Agricultural Organization, and the Codex Standards.”
The minister tasked local government authorities to employ licensed food science professionals and called on developmental partners and donors to support innovation and grassroots food safety intervention.
He also urged regulatory agencies and stakeholders to ensure that the manual becomes a living tool, not a document to be kept on shelves.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, emphasized that when food safety is compromised, the consequences extend far beyond individual health.
“It impacts families, communities, and our nation’s economic development. Recent studies by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition have revealed that approximately 20 per cent of hospital admissions in urban areas can be attributed to foodborne diseases. This figure exemplifies our fight against foodborne illness and the importance of food scientists, innovations, and researchers to support this public health priority.
“The intensive training of our food scientists and food safety officers will empower them with the latest scientific and technical skills, ensuring that they are fully equipped to oversee and enhance food safety practices across Nigeria,” said Pate, who was represented by the Director, Water Supply Management Programme, Foods & Drug Department at the FMOH&SW, Mrs Adeola Olufowobi-Yusuf.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Food and Science, Aminu Abbas, highlighted that the manual is a timely and strategic step forward in Nigeria’s effort to ensure the safety, hygiene, and nutritional integrity of food consumed by Nigerians.
Abbas, who was represented by his deputy, Kelvin Chukwu, said food safety is country safety as it is central to the health, security, and economic sustainability for the future of the country.
“The development and completion of this operational manual exemplifies a proactive regulatory approach rooted in science and technology, professionalism, and a deep commitment to public health for food and drink.