Nigeria’s Federal Government says unsafe food contributes to major public health losses in the country, warning that it causes more than 53,000 deaths each year. The government also reports that unsafe food results in nearly 50 million illnesses annually, with children under five bearing a large share of the burden. Separate figures cited by outlets include estimates that foodborne diseases account for about 4.26 million years of healthy life lost each year due to illness, disability and premature deaths. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, is quoted as presenting the figures as part of a broader warning about Nigeria’s growing food safety crisis. While the reported numbers vary slightly in how they are expressed—such as the total illnesses figure and the health-adjusted loss of productive years—the overall message across outlets is consistent: food safety problems are linked to high mortality, widespread sickness, and disproportionate harm to young children. The government’s statements emphasize the scale of the issue and frame unsafe food as a recurring cause of preventable disease nationwide.