At 9:30 a.m., a food thermometer pierced a plate of steaming jollof rice in a training hall in Ibadan. Food Safety Officers (FSOs) looked on, some seeing the tool for the first time in their careers.
The facilitator brought out the thermometer and showed the FSOs. “This,” he said, “can help stop contamination before it spreads.” Heads nodded. For many officers, the moment was transformative.
This was the scene that unfolded during a training on Strengthening the Capacity of Food Safety Officers to Enhance Food Security and Surveillance Systems in Oyo State. It brought together 126 Food Safety Officers (FSOs) from 11 Local Government Areas, working in partnership with DRASA (Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh) Health Trust, the Federal and Oyo State Ministries of Environment.
Nigeria records an estimated 200,000 foodborne disease–related deaths annually, yet many frontline officers responsible for inspection and surveillance lack training, tools, and clear reporting systems. “Many of us had never received structured training like this,” one officer admitted during a group discussion. “We do inspections daily, but without the right knowledge or equipment.”
The goal was to strengthen the technical capacity of at least 100 FSOs and increase food safety surveillance knowledge by 50 percent by mid-2025. Over four intensive days, participants engaged in interactive lectures, case studies, group work, and hands-on demonstrations covering food safety standards, hygiene, surveillance of foodborne diseases, outbreak investigation. They learned management systems including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).
DRASA coordinated the training design, learning assessments, logistics, and facilitation, while government partners provided institutional leadership, technical context, and policy alignment. Architect Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola, the then Oyo State Commissioner for Environment, formally opened the training, reinforcing government ownership. “This initiative directly protects our communities,” he noted, commending the collaboration.
The results showed the impact of the intervention. Pre- and post-test assessments showed a 55.9 percent increase in knowledge, rising from a mean score of 8.68 to 13.53, with statistically significant gains. Before the training, inspections relied largely on visual checks. Afterward, officers had the skills to practice temperature control, hazard identification, and structured reporting. “I now understand where hygiene ends and where safety begins, and why both matter,” one participant shared.
The qualitative changes proved just as striking. Officers reported renewed confidence, clearer understanding of their surveillance role, and improved coordination with health authorities. Several committed to revising inspection routines and advocating for standard reporting tools within their LGAs. “This training reminded us that prevention starts long before people fall sick,” said an Environmental Health Officer during the closing session.
The journey was not without challenges. For example, many officers highlighted the lack of inspection tools in their daily work, indicating the need to advocate for FSOs to be supported by operational toolkits on the job.
Next steps include for state partners to develop policy briefs and advocacy materials, to mobilize state funding and scale the training to the remaining 22 LGAs in Oyo State. For the officers in that room, and the millions they serve, the thermometer in that jollof rice did not just symbolize a technique, but also marked a shift towards prevention, professionalism, and safer food for all.