By Faridat Salifu
The Senate has uncovered widespread use of harmful chemicals in Nigeria’s food production and processing chain, warning that the trend poses grave risks to public health and agricultural integrity.
Presenting the report of the joint Senate Committees on Health and Agricultural Production Services and Rural Development, the Chairman, Ipalibo Banigo, said investigations revealed rampant use of toxic substances in food preservation and ripening across the country.
According to the report, many farmers and food vendors have adopted unsafe practices, including the use of calcium carbide to ripen fruits, paracetamol to tenderise meat, sniper (dichlorvos) to preserve grains, and detergents to wash fruits, vegetables, and even soak cassava.
The committee also found that Sudan IV dyes, a banned substance, are being added to palm oil and red pepper to enhance colour.
Banigo further disclosed that the committee discovered the burning of tyres to process animal hides, a method that introduces heavy metals and other carcinogens into food meant for human consumption.
She said some vendors also use morpholine, a fruit-waxing agent banned in the European Union (EU), to polish fruits for extended shelf life.
“These practices expose millions of Nigerians to severe health risks, including cancer, kidney and liver diseases, and foodborne infections such as cholera and Lassa fever,” she warned.
The Senate committee attributed the trend to weak enforcement of agricultural and food safety regulations, lack of awareness among farmers and traders, and poor monitoring by regulatory agencies.
To address the problem, the committee recommended that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology intensify nationwide awareness campaigns on the dangers of chemical ripening and food adulteration.
It also urged the Senate to amend existing food safety laws to prescribe stiffer penalties for individuals and businesses that use or promote toxic substances in food processing.
Supporting the recommendations, Senator Babangida Hussaini (Jigawa North-West) called for the inclusion of the Commodities and Produce Inspectorate Department of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment in enforcement efforts, saying the department already plays a key role in agricultural produce monitoring and hygiene control.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the committee’s findings and directed the Legislative Compliance Committee to follow up on the full implementation of the recommendations.
The report highlights the urgent need for stronger collaboration between agricultural authorities, food safety regulators, and farmers’ associations to restore public confidence in locally produced food and safeguard national health.