Experts Raise Alarm Over Widespread Food Adulteration In Nigeria

Experts Raise Alarm Over Widespread Food Adulteration in Nigeria

Regulators, health scientists and consumer advocates have raised fresh concerns over widespread food adulteration and contamination in Nigeria, warning that weak enforcement of food-safety regulations is putting the health of millions of Nigerians at risk. The concerns were raised at a food-safety summit in Lagos, where stakeholders called for stronger regulatory enforcement and greater accountability across Nigeria’s food supply chain.Experts warned that unsafe food products can expose consumers to serious health consequences, particularly when contaminated or adulterated foods enter markets and reach households without adequate detection.They stressed that the problem extends beyond deliberate adulteration to include poor handling, storage and processing practices that can introduce harmful substances into food. The stakeholders called for stronger collaboration among regulatory agencies, scientists, manufacturers, food processors, distributors and consumer groups to tackle the problem. They also emphasised the need for regulators to improve surveillance and enforcement so that businesses involved in food production and distribution comply with established safety standards. The concerns come amid growing pressure on Nigerian authorities to strengthen systems designed to protect consumers and ensure that food sold in markets meets required safety standards. Health experts have repeatedly warned that exposure to contaminated food can contribute to a range of health problems, making effective food-safety regulation an important public-health responsibility. Consumer advocates at the Lagos summit also urged Nigerians to become more vigilant about the products they purchase, while calling for clearer information and stronger mechanisms for reporting suspected food-safety violations. The stakeholders maintained that protecting consumers should not depend solely on individual vigilance. They argued that government agencies and businesses must play their respective roles in preventing unsafe products from entering the food chain. They further called for sustained investment in laboratory capacity, testing facilities and modern surveillance systems to enable authorities to identify contaminated and adulterated products more quickly. The summit has renewed calls for Nigeria to adopt a more coordinated approach to food safety, with stronger enforcement, better monitoring and increased public awareness seen as essential to reducing the risks associated with unsafe food. As concerns over food contamination persist, stakeholders warned that regulatory gaps must be urgently addressed to prevent avoidable health consequences and restore public confidence in the safety of food consumed across the country.