NAFDAC DG advocates for right to safe, wholesome food

 The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has called on Nigerians to renew their commitment to ensuring safe and wholesome food access for every citizen.

Prof. Adeyeye made the call on Monday in Lagos during the agency’s commemoration of the 2026 World Food Safety Day, held under the theme, “From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere.”

Represented by Mrs Eva Edwards, director of food safety and applied nutrition (FSAN), the DG asserted that access to safe food is a fundamental human right. She noted that NAFDAC is fully aligned with global efforts to build resilient food systems alongside the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the National Food Safety Management Committee.

According to the agency, unsafe food remains a severe public health and economic challenge, causing over 200 different diseases globally.

“The theme challenges us to focus on practical and sustainable solutions that will ensure safe food for everyone, everywhere,” Adeyeye said. “This can be attained through science-based regulation, education, responsible practices, entrenching a food safety culture, innovation, and collaboration.”

The DG explained that food safety risks exist at every stage of the supply chain—spanning agricultural production, harvesting, storage, processing, distribution, and consumption. Consequently, she noted that securing the food supply requires intentional, best-practice compliance from all actors.

To mitigate these risks, NAFDAC urged industry operators to strictly adhere to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP), and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). She also highlighted the necessity of implementing the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system and driving public awareness around the WHO’s “Five Keys to Safer Foods.”

While reaffirming NAFDAC’s role in verifying that products meet national and international standards, Prof. Adeyeye emphasised that regulation alone cannot solve the problem, calling food safety a “shared responsibility” that requires multi-sectoral partnerships.

She concluded by urging consumers to remain vigilant, advising the public to boycott food products that lack proper labeling, traceable sources, or valid NAFDAC registration numbers.