Nigeria street food and its quality concerns

BY YERUMOH OLUWAFEMI

The culinary landscape of various regions in Nigeria is characterised by a variety of street foods on which millions of its population, particularly low-income consumers, rely. Their convenience, peculiarity and affordable prices make them deep-rooted with wider patronage. Street foods have formed part of the daily dietary pattern of several Nigerians who cannot do without their consumption.

However, the quality of these foods is of concern. Street foods such as roasted plantain (Boli), roasted corn, roasted yam and others have high-quality issues that arise from handling, notably poor handling by potential buyers who have direct contact, touching it on several occasions during the selection or negotiation process before the final consumer. The love of street foods by Nigerians is so high that the majority of consumers ignore these quality concerns associated with it.  The peculiarity of the quality concerns is not limited to roasted street foods but the entire street food catalogue, including the likes of moi moi, akara, puff puff, suya, and fried yam, among others. The exposure to foreign contaminants from dust, smoke and other impurities is also of concern as most of these are processed in open areas exposed to such contaminations.

In some instances, its displays for sales are exposed in open areas without proper covering from foreign contamination. In addition, poor hygiene practices by some of its handlers, improper storage and distribution as well as usage of unsafe ingredients all contributed to this menace.

The impact of the quality issue that arises from street foods cannot be overlooked as street food, which is a subsector of the food industry, continues to grow year after year.  Several issues of foodborne illness and other life-threatening diseases have resulted from the consumption of such with fewer or no traceability records from its sales.  It is pertinent for all relevant stakeholders, regulatory bodies, private companies, and government agencies to gear more efforts in addressing the quality concerns associated with street foods in Nigeria. 

Consumers also have a key role to play in combating this menace as several consumers of street foods are not well informed of the quality concerns associated with its consumption. Consumer awareness is essential; public health campaigns indicating the health consequences of consumption of street foods with poor hygiene practices should be launched to change consumer behaviour. Hence, they can support and patronise vendors who uphold strict hygiene standards and advocate for higher-quality food. Initiatives that can drive quality practices and improvement from the vendor end are also critical. Educating them on safe handling practices by adopting good hygiene practices is very key.

The role of the government in infrastructure development in areas such as an effective waste management system and provision of basic amenities like potable water is also key in achieving best practices for the processing of street foods in Nigeria. Several food-borne illnesses arise from contamination due to the uncleaned water used for its production. Regulatory bodies should strengthen food safety laws and ensure vendors comply with hygiene standards. Necessary support should be provided in areas of training so that the street food vendors can adopt better food safety practices among other essential capacity building.

While Nigerian street food remains a staple for many, addressing quality concerns is crucial to safeguarding public health. Collaborative efforts between government authorities, food vendors, and consumers can help maintain the cultural richness of street food while ensuring safety and quality. Nigeria can uphold its street food culture while ensuring strict health and safety standards.

Yerumoh Oluwafemi is a Program Lead at Food Health System Advisory Nigeria.