FOOD SAFETY IS A NATIONAL PRIORITY — AND A CATALYST FOR GROWTH.
Yesterday in Abuja, the Federal Government of Nigeria officially launched the Nigeria’s first-ever Food Safety Operational Manual — a historic step toward protecting public health, empowering food handlers, and driving inclusive innovation across the country.
As Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, 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.This initiative, developed by the Nigerian Council for Food Science and Technology (NiCFoST), under the leadership of Mrs. Veronica Nkechi Ezeh, marks a powerful beginning.
The operational manual we unveiled will serve as a nationwide reference tool to monitor, train, and enforce safe food handling — especially within Nigeria’s vast informal food sector.
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.
This effort reflects our firm alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, especially in the 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 .
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