Every day, millions of Nigerians eat meals prepared and sold in conditions that would fail even basic food-safety standards.
From roadside food stalls and open markets to restaurants, bars and nightclubs, food is often prepared, stored and served in environments where hygiene appears to be an afterthought. What should be a basic public-health responsibility has, in too many places, become a battle between profit, convenience and safety.
The disturbing practices are familiar. Palm oil may be adulterated or improperly coloured to make it appear more attractive. Fruits may be artificially ripened using substances that should never come into contact with food. Cooking oil may be repeatedly reused far beyond what is considered safe. Food may be exposed to flies, dust and contaminated water, while raw and cooked products are sometimes handled without adequate separation.
These practices are not merely about poor customer service. They can have serious consequences for public health.
The irony is particularly painful because Nigerian cuisine is becoming increasingly popular around the world. Nigerian dishes are gaining international recognition, restaurants are opening in major cities outside Africa, and our food is becoming an important part of Nigeria’s cultural identity.
Yet within the country, food safety is sometimes treated with a disturbing mixture of resignation and humour.
There is even a popular joke that “authentic” Nigerian food must come with an upset stomach. It should not.
A stomach infection should never be considered part of the price of eating a plate of jollof rice, chicken, suya or any other Nigerian delicacy.
Public Health Physician, Dr Ifeoluwa Odedina, said salmonellosis, acute gastroenteritis caused by E. coli and other enteric bacteria, and cholera are among the foodborne illnesses placing significant pressure on public health in Oyo State.
According to her, these conditions contribute substantially to outbreaks, hospitalisations and deaths, even though the number of laboratory-confirmed cases may not always capture their true burden.
Salmonellosis, including typhoid fever and non-typhoidal Salmonella infections, remains a major concern, while E. coli and other enteric infections also pose significant risks.
Odedina, of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, identified several common sources of exposure, including undercooked chicken and other poultry, eggs and egg-based foods, unhygienically prepared beef and suya, street foods exposed to flies and foods washed or prepared with contaminated water.
The problem is that contamination can occur almost anywhere along the food chain. Food can become contaminated on the farm, during harvesting, transportation, storage, processing or preparation. It can also become contaminated at the point where it is finally sold to the consumer.
Sometimes the contamination is accidental. Poor hand hygiene, inadequate refrigeration, dirty utensils, contaminated water and improper storage can all create opportunities for pathogens to multiply.
In other cases, unsafe practices may be deliberate, driven by the desire to make food look better, last longer or cost less to produce.
Food safety is no longer just about food poisoning. A Food safety expert John Tehinse told The Guardian that Nigeria’s food-safety situation remains precarious and is increasingly connected to longer-term health problems.
The traditional understanding of food safety has largely focused on contaminated food causing an immediate illness, a person eats something unsafe, develops diarrhoea or vomiting and seeks treatment.
But the food environment is changing. The growing consumption of ultra-processed foods, excessive sodium, sugar, unhealthy fats and high-calorie products is contributing to a different category of health problems, including obesity, diabetes and hypertension.
In other words, the food-safety conversation is expanding from “Will this food make me sick today?”
Unfortunately, busy lifestyles have increased demand for foods that can be prepared quickly. Pre-processed meals and heavily packaged foods can save time, but the nutritional consequences depend heavily on what is added during processing and how frequently such foods are consumed.
The result is a food environment where infectious diseases and diet-related non-communicable diseases can exist side by side.
The economic cost is enormous
Foodborne illness does not end with a stomach ache. A contaminated meal can mean hospital bills, medication, missed work, lost income and, in severe cases, permanent disability or death.
Recent studies cited by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition have estimated that foodborne diseases account for a significant proportion of hospital admissions in urban areas of Nigeria and impose billions of dollars in annual economic costs.
Globally, the World Health Organisation estimates that hundreds of millions of people fall ill every year after consuming contaminated food, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of years of healthy life lost.
Children are particularly vulnerable. The burden is especially severe in Africa, where foodborne diseases continue to exact a disproportionate toll. Children under five are among those most at risk of severe complications and death.
Nigeria cannot afford to treat this as an inevitable consequence of poverty, informal commerce or the popularity of street food.
Where are the regulators?
Regulation is a critical part of the solution.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has conducted raids, seized unsafe products and taken enforcement action against businesses that violate food-safety rules.
But raids alone cannot solve the problem. Enforcement that happens only after unsafe food has reached consumers is fundamentally reactive. What is needed is sustained prevention: regular inspection, testing, education, traceability and meaningful penalties for repeat offenders.
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria and other relevant institutions also have important roles to play in ensuring that food products and related processes meet established standards.
But regulation cannot be effective if enforcement is inconsistent or if businesses believe that the likelihood of being caught is minimal.
There is also a responsibility on businesses themselves. Restaurant owners, food vendors, market traders and food manufacturers cannot outsource food safety entirely to government agencies. Basic hygiene, safe water, proper storage, adequate cooking temperatures, clean utensils and appropriate waste disposal are fundamental responsibilities.
Consumers also have a role
Consumers are not powerless. Before eating outside, look around. Is the food covered? Are raw and cooked foods separated? Are the utensils visibly clean?
Is the person handling money also handling ready-to-eat food without washing their hands? Is the cooking environment reasonably clean?
Is the food being kept at an appropriate temperature? Is the water being used for cooking and washing safe?
Sometimes, the warning signs are obvious.
A dirty kitchen does not automatically mean that every meal is contaminated, just as a clean-looking restaurant cannot guarantee that every food item is safe. But visible hygiene practices can provide useful clues about how seriously a business takes food safety.
Consumers should also be willing to report unsafe practices rather than simply complain among themselves.
Nigeria needs a food-safety culture
The ultimate solution is not to discourage Nigerians from eating street food or enjoying their favourite meals.
Street food is an important part of Nigerian culture and provides livelihoods for millions of people.
The objective should be to make it safer. That requires investment in clean water, sanitation, waste management, cold-chain infrastructure, food-handler training, laboratory testing and regular inspection. It requires regulators to work together rather than operate in isolated silos. It requires businesses to understand that compliance is not merely a bureaucratic burden but a public-health obligation.
And it requires consumers to stop accepting unsafe practices as normal.
Nigeria’s food should be celebrated for its flavour, diversity and cultural richness, not for the ability of its consumers to survive questionable hygiene.
Eating should not be an act of courage, so, before you eat outside, look twice, ask questions and, where necessary, walk away.
