Health experts have raised concerns over growing unsafe food habits in Nigeria, warning that increasing consumption of chemically processed and adulterated foods is contributing to serious health complications. The warning follows rising concerns over artificial fruit ripening, unhealthy dietary patterns, and widespread food adulteration practices affecting consumers across the country. Experts say the trend poses long-term risks to public health, especially among children and vulnerable populations.
Food safety concerns have remained a major public health issue in Nigeria amid increasing urbanisation, changing consumption patterns, and pressure on food supply systems. Traditional food preservation and processing methods are gradually being replaced by practices driven by speed, profit, and rising market demand.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has repeatedly warned against the use of harmful substances in food processing and preservation. Experts say these practices have contributed to the spread of unsafe food habits, particularly in urban markets where chemically ripened fruits and processed foods are widely sold.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, warned that calcium carbide used in artificial fruit ripening contains dangerous impurities including arsenic, lead, and phosphorus. According to her, the chemical releases acetylene gas, which mimics natural ripening agents but exposes consumers to serious health risks. She stated that prolonged exposure may lead to kidney failure, liver damage, neurological disorders, respiratory complications, and cancer.
Adeyeye explained that fruits affected by these unsafe food habits may appear ripe externally while remaining unripe internally. She added that artificially ripened fruits often lack the natural brown or black spots seen in naturally ripened produce and may contain visible powdery residues. Pregnant women and children, she said, are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects associated with chemically ripened foods.
Also speaking, Consultant Endocrinologist and Professor of Medicine at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof. Olufemi Fasamade, linked rising metabolic disorders to unhealthy eating patterns and sedentary lifestyles. He warned that increasing dependence on fast food, processed meals, and other unsafe food habits is contributing to obesity, infertility, and endocrine-related complications in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Head of Nutrition and Dietetics at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, said food adulteration is weakening the nutritional value of everyday meals consumed by Nigerians. According to him, sustained exposure to adulterated foods may result in poor immunity, stunted growth in children, and reduced cognitive development. He noted that addressing unsafe food habits requires stronger regulation, public awareness, and improved food monitoring systems.
Public health experts say the growing prevalence of adulterated and chemically processed foods could increase pressure on Nigeria’s healthcare system if not addressed through coordinated intervention. They warn that long-term exposure to toxic substances in food may contribute to chronic diseases, productivity loss, and higher healthcare costs.
The concerns also raise broader questions about food regulation, market enforcement, and consumer awareness in Nigeria’s expanding urban food economy.
