The Nigerian Senate has announced plans to amend existing laws to impose stricter penalties on individuals or businesses found guilty of ripening fruits using harmful chemicals. This move aims to protect public health and ensure food safety.

Key Actions Proposed:

1. Legislative Amendment: Relevant Senate committees will review and update current laws to increase punishments for chemical ripening.
2. Public Awareness:
   • Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS), Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology (NiCFOST) are tasked with sensitisation campaigns to educate Nigerians on the dangers of chemical ripening.
3. Enforcement: Regulatory agencies are expected to strengthen legal enforcement against violators.

Findings from Senate Committees:

• Dangerous practices identified include:
  • Ripening fruits with calcium carbide.
  • Cooking meat with paracetamol.
  • Preserving grains with Dichlorvos (Sniper).
  • Washing fruits/vegetables with detergents.
  • Using hypo solutions for cassava.
  • Adding banned Sudan IV dyes to palm oil and red pepper.
  • Removing animal fur (pomo) with burning tyres.
• Morpholine, used for waxing fruits and vegetables, is banned in the EU.
• These practices are linked to cancer, liver/kidney disease, cholera, Lassa fever, and other foodborne illnesses.

Public Health Context:

• Nigeria recorded 14,000+ cholera cases with 378 deaths and 119 deaths from food-related Lassa fever in 2025.
• WHO estimates over 1 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually, causing economic losses exceeding $3.6 billion.
• Existing laws, such as Criminal Code Sections 243-245, criminalise food, meat, and water adulteration, but enforcement needs strengthening.

Senate’s Position:

The practice of chemically ripening fruits is not just a consumer rights issue but a serious public health crisis. The Senate emphasizes the need for effective legislation, public education, and rigorous enforcement to curb these unsafe practices.