Shelly Sundberg, Interim Director of Gender, Nutrition, and Climate Adaptation at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Professor Oyinkan Tasie of the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University, have raised concerns about the health risks associated with consuming unhealthy food in Nigeria. Their warning came during discussions with smoked fish sellers at Rahama Market in Bodija, Ibadan, and in a meeting with local traders at Adis Hotels, Bodija, Ibadan.
Sundberg and Tasie stressed the importance of food safety and hygiene, particularly in the preparation and sale of fish and vegetables. Sundberg emphasized that the primary goal of their project is to improve access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food, stating, “If food is not safe, it is not food. We aim to educate sellers on maintaining safe and hygienic conditions to prevent people from falling ill due to contaminated food.”
Professor Tasie reiterated the dangers of consuming unsafe food, noting its detrimental impact on public health in Nigeria. He explained, “This market is a focal point in our co-creation intervention project to enhance food safety, especially for fish, which is widely purchased across Nigeria. We’ve provided training on proper fish handling and basic hygiene practices. Additionally, we’ve engaged with local councils to support the market with necessary infrastructure improvements to ensure food safety.”
The initiative, which is part of a broader effort to promote food safety and nutrition, has already started yielding positive results. Tasie highlighted the improvements in food safety practices at the market, stating, “We now have safer food from this place. It is crucial for traders to continue implementing what they have learned to maintain these standards.”
In response to the initiative, Farounk Abudminin, General Secretary of Rahama Fish Market, Bodija, expressed gratitude for the support and training provided. He mentioned that the market distributes fish to various states, including Delta and Lagos, and acknowledged the benefits of the project. “We have gained a lot from this initiative, including infrastructure like toilets and financial support for our businesses. However, we still need continued government support to sustain these improvements,” Abudminin said.
This collaborative effort between international and local partners highlights the importance of food safety and hygiene in improving public health and ensuring the availability of nutritious food options in Nigeria.
