The federal government has been urged to compel food and beverage manufacturers to disclose the quantity of salt and sugar in their products as a way to combat the rising tide of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular ailments linked to poor diets.
At the launch of the report titled “Junk on Our Plates” held in Lagos, the Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi, criticized the food industry for prioritizing profit over public health.
He said, “The food and beverage industry is exploiting advertising, cultural trends, pricing strategies, and vast distribution networks to shape food culture and dietary habits. Their focus on highly processed, calorie-dense, and nutrient-poor foods is driven by profit margins and shelf life, and it’s leading to the slow disappearance of healthy, indigenous Nigerian foods.”
Oluwafemi added that the report revealed how these corporations strategically target vulnerable groups.
“The report has exposed how food corporations use a sophisticated web of marketing strategies to get Nigerians, especially children and young adults, hooked on ultra-processed foods. These foods damage their health, undermine public health policies, and cost the Nigerian healthcare system billions of naira.”
He further warned of the dangers of high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt products: “The widespread promotion of these foods, high in saturated fats, salt, and sugar, is increasingly redefining global dietary patterns and severely impacting public health.”
He explained that the findings showed how corporations have entrenched unhealthy food choices in society: “Through aggressive marketing, cultural co-optation, celebrity endorsements, and deceptive labelling, these corporations have entrenched ultra-processed, high-sugar, and high-sodium products in Nigeria’s food environment. Their marketing targets children, youth, low-income communities, and even cultural identities—all to drive sales.”
Oluwafemi acknowledged some steps already taken by the Nigerian government: “We recognize the Nigerian government’s bold steps in confronting this challenge, such as the N10 per litre Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) Tax aimed at reducing excessive consumption and lowering the risk of diet-related diseases.”
However, he called for stronger regulatory measures “We need clear and readable front-of-pack warning labels on processed foods. We need limits on salt and sugar content. And we need public awareness campaigns and food policymaking that are state-led, free from corporate sponsorship or influence.”
He emphasized the need to better protect Nigerian consumers, especially children “The government must strengthen regulations on the marketing of unhealthy foods, particularly to children. We also urge the increase of Nigeria’s SSB tax from N10 to N130 to make sugary beverages less affordable and the implementation of national sodium reduction programmes.”
Concluding, Oluwafemi stated, “Nigeria can take impactful steps toward promoting healthier dietary habits, reducing the crippling burden of non-communicable diseases, and safeguarding the well-being of its population.”
