Abstract
Food fraud is a significant concern in Nigeria, just like in other parts of the world, it poses risks to public health, business, and economies. It is a multifaceted issue that affects various sectors of the food supply chain. Several factors have contributed to the prevalence of food fraud in Nigeria such as economic pressure, the complexity of Nigeria's food supply chain which is characterized by multiple intermediaries and informal markets, weak regulatory enforcement and inadequate monitoring, corruption, and Inadequate technology infrastructures.Previous studies on food fraud in Nigeria have focused on identifying the types, the prevalence of food fraud, and its impact. These studies also examined the effectiveness of food safety regulations in Nigeria in preventing food fraud. While these measures contribute to combating food fraud, they are often reactive rather than proactive, limiting their effectiveness. Despite efforts made to combat food fraud in Nigeria, the country still faces significant challenges in this regard.
This prompted the question of whether a proactive measure such as a food fraud database can help combat the issue of food fraud in Nigeria. To explore this, this study aims to explore the practicality and potential success of establishing a food fraud database as a preventive measure against food fraud in Nigeria's food supply chain.
A quantitative approach using survey questionnaires was used to obtain information from both food organisations and consumer respondents. Their responses were analysed using hierarchical multiple regression and part analysis.
To meet the study’s objectives and the overarching aim, two theoretical models were developed adopting established frameworks such as the Technology-Organisation- Environment framework (TOE), the Diffusion of Innovation theory (DOI), the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory. This comprehensive approach allowed the acceptance and rejection of the proposed hypotheses for this study, thereby answering the research questions. Consequently, it resulted in the creation of two new conceptual frameworks, which can serve as valuable tools for future research in this field.
The prevalence of food fraud practices, coupled with the inadequacies of current preventive measures and the prevailing perceptions surrounding food fraud, underscore the need for a more proactive approach such as a food fraud database to combat the issue of food fraud in Nigeria. This study found the collective willingness of both food organisations and consumers to take part in and support food fraud prevention interventions. Some of the identified influencing factors included awareness, relative advantage, top management support, favourable regulatory environment, perceived benefit of reporting food fraud, and attitude. This collective willingness is a positive indicator of the practicality and potential success of establishing a food fraud database in Nigeria, as it ensures active participation, comprehensive data collection, industry support, and effective implementation, making the database a practical and sustainable solution. This is the first empirical study that explores stakeholder’s participation in food fraud prevention in the Nigerian food supply chain. The findings of this study provide evidence for informing the policies and practices of the food regulatory authorities as well as best practices in preventing food fraud.
| Date of Award | 16 Dec 2024 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Lisa Jack (Supervisor), Roza Sagitova (Supervisor) & Tarek AbdelFattah (Supervisor) |