To commemorate the 2024 World Food Safety Day, the federal government of Nigeria through the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, has launched a new National Policy on Food Safety and Quality and its Implementation Plan, which is an amendment of the 2014 document, during the celebration of the World Food Safety Day held at Exclusive Serene Hotel, Wuye in Abuja on the 7th of June 2024.

Speaking at the event, the Minister represented by the Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, said the food safety policy framework encompasses the principles of risk analysis, including issues of emerging contaminants within the food chain, and the establishment of an integrated food-borne disease surveillance and response system. He said the document further sets forth benchmarks for safe handling, marketing, and sale of food throughout the country in the present environment.

Also at the event, the minister inaugurated four inter-sectoral Technical Working Groups (TWGs) in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other partners. He stated that the TWGs would provide expertise and leadership to drive effective communication, capacity building, and strategic partnerships among stakeholders, as part of continued efforts to strengthen and harmonize Nigeria’s regulatory environment and risk-based food safety systems, while improving industry engagement in the national regulatory processes and compliance with international food safety standards.

In her remarks, the Programme Manager of the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS), Kelly Scavella, said the TWGs have been set up to modernize Nigeria’s food safety regulatory framework in line with international best practices to address food safety concerns and facilitate the development of a strong agriculture and food industry.

The inaugurated TWGs will focus on research, education for all stakeholders, traceability and supporting technologies, risk-based regulations, risk analysis in food and feed safety, and food and sanitary and phytosanitary inspection. At the ceremony several goodwill messages were received, including one from the President/CEO of CAFSANI, Prof Olugbenga Ogunmoyela, who was the Chairman of this year’s World Food Safety Day Planning Committee.