Food safety is a global public health concern and plays a critical role in economic stability, particularly in Nigeria. The presence of contaminated or unsafe food contributes to a high burden of foodborne illnesses, which can result in severe health consequences and economic losses. In response to these challenges, the Nigerian government introduced the National Policy on Food Safety and its Implementation Strategy (NPFSIS) in 2024. This policy was designed to enhance food safety measures and protect public health.
Recently revised and relaunched, NPFSIS’s official launch took place on June 7, 2024, coinciding with the World Food Safety Day celebrations in Abuja.
The primary goal of this policy is to establish a comprehensive framework for food safety, ensuring that all food consumed within the country complies with international safety standards.
The NPFSQIP establishes a structured framework for food safety governance in Nigeria. Its key provisions include:
The policy proposes the creation of the National Food Safety Council (NFSC) and the National Food Safety Management Committee (NFSMC). These bodies oversee and coordinate food safety activities, ensuring that food safety measures align with best practices.
The policy outlines the development of the National Food Safety and Quality, which seeks to consolidate Nigeria’s food safety laws and clarify the roles of various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) involved in food safety. It also adopts the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles for food production and distribution. However, this bill has yet to be enacted into law and is awaiting a final reading by Nigeria’s 9th National Assembly.
The policy prioritises scientific risk assessment in food safety decision-making. It mandates the establishment of systems for identifying, evaluating, and managing food safety risks to protect public health. It enforces preventive measures, clear guidelines for processing and storage, uniform safety standards for vendors, restaurants, and supermarkets, stricter packaging rules, and regulated food imports.
To modernise the food safety regulatory framework, there are inter-sectoral TWGs that focus on risk-based regulations, risk analysis, inspection, traceability, education, and research. These groups oversee risk analysis, food inspections, and public education campaigns, support research initiatives to improve food safety standards and strengthen inter-agency collaboration to eliminate regulatory overlaps.
The revised policy mandates developing an integrated surveillance system to track foodborne illnesses and contamination, ensuring timely detection and response. It enforces routine inspections and audits of food production facilities while maintaining a comprehensive national database to enhance monitoring and improve response times.
The policy recognises the need for skilled personnel. It provides continuous training and capacity building for stakeholders ( farmers, food processors, and regulatory officials ) involved in food safety, including regulators, industry players, and consumers. It also strengthens laboratory infrastructure for food quality testing.
To promote a culture of food safety, the policy advocates for public awareness campaigns and educational programs targeting consumers and food business operators. These nationwide campaigns will educate consumers on safe food-handling practices. Food safety will also be introduced in schools to foster long-term behavioural change.
The implementation of the NPFSIS has far-reaching implications for stakeholders in Nigeria’s agricultural and food industries. Some of these include:
Farmers and agribusinesses must follow Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) to reduce contamination risks. This often requires new techniques and investments in infrastructure and training. While compliance may be costly, it improves food safety, boosts consumer confidence, and creates new market opportunities, especially for exports. This will lead to higher profitability and a more competitive agricultural sector.
Food processors and manufacturers must comply with stricter hygiene and quality control standards, including adopting Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems and other internationally recognised food safety certifications. This requires investments in infrastructure, testing, and traceability systems. While these measures may increase operational costs, they reduce the risk of recalls, enhance brand reputation, and build consumer trust. Additionally, the policy encourages public-private partnerships, fostering innovation and improving food safety standards across the industry.
The policy strengthens the role of regulatory bodies like the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, requiring better coordination and resource allocation to enforce safety standards effectively. These agencies must conduct regular inspections, monitor compliance, and ensure food safety regulations are upheld nationwide.
To support these efforts, increased funding and resources are essential for efficient enforcement, surveillance, and industry collaboration.
Consumers benefit from food safety policies , which include safer food products, reduced risk of foodborne illnesses, and greater transparency in labelling, empowering consumers to make well-informed choices. Additionally, the policy strengthens monitoring and traceability, ensuring contaminated products can be swiftly recalled to protect public health.
By improving food safety, the policy can lead to a decrease in healthcare costs associated with foodborne diseases and boost confidence in locally produced food, which in turn encourages support for domestic agriculture. In the long run, these benefits contribute to greater economic stability and strengthens Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global trade landscape.
The policy strengthens Nigeria’s compliance with global food safety standards, boosting agricultural exports by ensuring products meet the strict requirements of key markets like the EU, the US, and Asia. Enhanced hygiene, quality control, and traceability measures reduce contamination risks, improve product consistency, and increase Nigeria’s competitiveness. This opens doors to premium markets, attracts foreign investment, and drives economic growth by positioning Nigeria as a reliable supplier of high-quality, safe food products.
While the revised policy is a step in the right direction, the NPFSIS still faces several challenges:
The National Food Safety and Quality Bill has yet to be enacted into law, delaying the full implementation and enforcement of the policy. Without legal backing, regulatory agencies face challenges in ensuring compliance, limiting the policy’s effectiveness in addressing food safety risks nationwide.
The effective enforcement of the policy is hindered by insufficient funding and limited resources for regulatory agencies. A lack of investment in laboratory facilities, training programs, and modern inspection equipment weakens oversight and slows down response times to food safety issues. Without adequate financial support, agencies struggle to carry out routine inspections, enforce compliance, and maintain high safety standards across the food supply chain.
Effective implementation of the policy requires seamless collaboration among multiple government agencies. However, overlapping duties and bureaucratic bottlenecks can create enforcement gaps and inefficiencies. Streamlining roles, improving inter-agency communication, and fostering active stakeholder engagement, especially among small-scale farmers and food producers, are crucial for ensuring widespread compliance and the smooth execution of food safety regulations.
Low public awareness of food safety regulations makes compliance difficult, especially for small-scale farmers, vendors, and consumers. Many lack knowledge of proper food handling and hygiene, while financial constraints hinder safety improvements. To address this, public education campaigns are needed to inform consumers about their rights and responsibilities while ensuring vendors and producers understand and adhere to safety standards.
Nigeria can learn from global best practices to strengthen its food safety framework. The EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) enables real-time tracking of food safety incidents. Nigeria could adopt a similar digital monitoring system.
The U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) prioritises prevention over reaction, a shift that Nigeria’s policy could integrate. China’s Food Safety Law enforces strict penalties for non-compliance, highlighting the need for stronger enforcement mechanisms to deter violations in Nigeria.
To strengthen Nigeria’s food safety framework, the following steps should be taken:
The revised National Policy on Food Safety and Quality represents a pivotal advancement in Nigeria’s efforts to ensure a safe food supply. By addressing existing gaps and fostering a culture of food safety, Nigeria can improve public health outcomes and strengthen its agricultural sector’s competitiveness on the global stage.
