A joint committee of the Senate has raised alarm bells over the use of dangerous chemicals in Nigerian food processing and preservation. In a report presented by Ipalipo Banigo, the committee revealed that substances such as raw calcium carbide, industrial detergents, and banned dyes are being used by food vendors.
The Committee on Health along with the Committee on Agricultural Production Services and Rural Development conducted a hearing on July 17. They examined evidence, collected public submissions and consulted legal drafting experts for the production of the report.
Among the findings: forced ripening of fruits with calcium carbide, meat cooked with paracetamol, soaking cassava in detergent solutions, and the use of banned Sudan IV dyes in palm oil and red pepper. These practices, the committee warned, link directly to serious health risks including cancer, kidney and liver diseases, and outbreaks of foodborne illness.
As part of their recommendations the committee called on the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to step up public awareness campaigns. They also urged the Senate to amend existing laws and impose stiffer penalties on offenders.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the committee for its work and said the report would be followed up by the legislative compliance committee to ensure implementation.
For Nigeria’s food-processing and manufacturing sector the report raises practical issues. Companies must review their supply chains, verify vendor practices and ensure compliance with national standards. At the same time, the regulatory and enforcement landscape appears poised for change, which could affect costs and operations across the value chain.
