Across Nigeria, farmers and food processors commonly dry cassava, rice, maize, beans and pepper along busy roads because it is cheap and convenient. What looks like a harmless tradition, however, worries health experts. As vehicles speed past, dust, exhaust fumes and tiny stones settle directly on food meant for homes and markets. Animals also roam freely, turning major highways into open drying floors that quietly contaminate everyday meals.

Health and nutrition experts warn that roadside dust is not just ordinary sand. It often contains oil residue, carbon particles and even heavy metals from vehicles. Once these settle on food, washing or cooking may not remove all the toxins. Over time, eating such food can lead to stomach infections, weak immunity and long-term health problems. Grains like rice and beans can also trap moisture, allowing dangerous molds to grow and produce aflatoxins linked to liver damage and poor child growth.

Beyond health concerns, roadside drying creates other problems. Stones and gravel easily mix with grains, later causing injuries or stress in the kitchen as buyers pick through food. Drivers say food sometimes spills onto the road, increasing accident risks, while traders complain that dusty or dirty produce sells for less. Hospitals, meanwhile, report treating many cases of food poisoning, diarrhea and intestinal worms traced back to unsafe food handling during drying.

Experts agree that farmers are not to blame but need support. Agricultural officers recommend raised platforms, clean tarps, solar dryers and community drying centers as safer options. Some states, like Niger, have begun sensitization programmes and promised materials to help farmers change practice. Health workers say lasting change will only come when food safety, agriculture and public health work together, so that Nigeria’s meals start clean long before they reach the kitchen.