Abstract
Street food vending is a vital component of Nigeria’s informal economy, providing affordable meals and employment opportunities for millions of low-income households. However, the sector poses significant public health risks due to weak regulation, poor hygiene practices, and fragmented enforcement mechanisms. This study explores the regulatory frameworks governing street food vending in Osun State, Nigeria, with particular attention to the role of local government environmental health departments and the Water and Environmental Sanitation Department (WEST). The multistage method was adopted in selecting study participants. Osun State has three Senatorial districts, namely Osun West, Osun Central and Osun East. From each Senatorial District, a major city was purposively selected due to its commercial nature as well as being the headquarters of its respective Senatorial District. The data were collected using the Key Informant Interview (KII). The Heads of the Department overseeing the activities of Street Food Vending were identified. The findings reveal that vendors are subjected to house-to-house inspections, training on hygiene, and medical fitness tests, with enforcement measures including warning notices, food seizure, and condemnation certificates. However, enforcement is hindered by political interference, inadequate logistics, language barriers, and poor compliance among vendors. Comparison with existing literature highlights the gap between grassroots regulation and national food safety policies, such as those overseen by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON). The study concludes that effective food safety governance requires stronger institutional support, full adoption of national regulations, and improved public orientation to safeguard consumer health while sustaining livelihoods
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APA 7th edition
In-text citation: (Oyinlola et al., 2026)
Reference: Oyinlola, F., Asa, S. S., Taiwo, K., & Olaposi, T. (2026). Regulatory frameworks for street food vendors in Osun State: Local enforcement and public implications.
Journal of Law, Governance and Management, 1(1), Article 3.
https://doi.org/10.20897/jlgm/19336
AMA 10th edition
In-text citation: (1), (2), (3), etc.
Reference: Oyinlola F, Asa SS, Taiwo K, Olaposi T. Regulatory frameworks for street food vendors in Osun State: Local enforcement and public implications.
Journal of Law, Governance and Management. 2026;1(1), 3.
https://doi.org/10.20897/jlgm/19336
Chicago
In-text citation: (Oyinlola et al., 2026)
Reference: Oyinlola, Funmilola, Soladoye Sunday Asa, Kehindo Taiwo, and Titilayo Olaposi. "Regulatory frameworks for street food vendors in Osun State: Local enforcement and public implications".
Journal of Law, Governance and Management 2026 1 no. 1 (2026): 3.
https://doi.org/10.20897/jlgm/19336
Harvard
In-text citation: (Oyinlola et al., 2026)
Reference: Oyinlola, F., Asa, S. S., Taiwo, K., and Olaposi, T. (2026). Regulatory frameworks for street food vendors in Osun State: Local enforcement and public implications.
Journal of Law, Governance and Management, 1(1), 3.
https://doi.org/10.20897/jlgm/19336
MLA
In-text citation: (Oyinlola et al., 2026)
Reference: Oyinlola, Funmilola et al. "Regulatory frameworks for street food vendors in Osun State: Local enforcement and public implications".
Journal of Law, Governance and Management, vol. 1, no. 1, 2026, 3.
https://doi.org/10.20897/jlgm/19336
Vancouver
In-text citation: (1), (2), (3), etc.
Reference: Oyinlola F, Asa SS, Taiwo K, Olaposi T. Regulatory frameworks for street food vendors in Osun State: Local enforcement and public implications. Journal of Law, Governance and Management. 2026;1(1):3.
https://doi.org/10.20897/jlgm/19336