From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The federal government has been urged to enact stronger policies and measures to promote a healthy lifestyle to reduce non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria.
The Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, made the remarks during the opening ceremony of the five-day Youth Bootcamp for Food Justice 2025, organised by CAPPA, held at Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort, Ikogosi-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
He explained that the purpose of the bootcamp was to equip youths with adequate knowledge and prepare them for public awareness, advocacy, and leadership.
Akinbode, who lamented that there was food injustice in the country, linked the rapid rise of NCDs among Nigerians to the increase in the consumption of unhealthy food and drinks. “Nigeria’s food environment has greatly altered in the last two decades, with more people consuming ultra-processed products and foods high in fat, salt, and sugar, such as soft drinks, instant noodles, salty snacks, and fast foods, hence resulting in non-communicable diseases including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and cancers.”
Akinbode appealed to the federal government to enforce stricter health policies and laws, such as imposing at least a 20% tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), clear front-of-pack warning labels, sodium reduction, and creating awareness on the dangers of consuming unhealthy food and drinks, noting these steps would further help to address the concerns.
“Unlike the sudden shock of a viral outbreak, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have crept slowly into households, draining family incomes and burdening hospitals already stretched thin.
“Diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and cancers are some manifestations of this public health challenge, and they are rising at alarming rates.
“According to the World Health Organisation, NCDs now account for nearly 30 per cent of all deaths in Nigeria. Even more troubling is that 22 per cent of these deaths occur prematurely, between the ages of 30 and 69—years that should be the most productive in family and national life. Hypertension now affects about one in three adults in urban Nigeria. Obesity is climbing steadily, particularly among women and young people, with urban rates approaching one in five. Diabetes, once rare, is now estimated to affect between 4 and 7 per cent of the population, translating into millions of Nigerians managing a lifelong and costly disease.
“These conditions are not only a health problem but also an economic threat, placing immense pressure on households and an already overstretched healthcare system.
“What makes this worse is the heavy advertising and marketing, often aimed at children and youth. They promote those unhealthy foods as modern, desirable, and convenient, while hiding their health risks and making healthier options harder to choose.
“In some cases, unhealthy products are also cheaper and easier to find than nutritious alternatives, and their increasing consumption has fuelled the rapid rise of non-communicable diseases across the country.”
While acknowledging that Nigeria has taken some steps to address the issue, Akinbode decried the weak implementation and called for strong advocacy.
“Nigeria has taken some steps in this direction, but the reality is that much more remains to be done. One example is the sugar-sweetened beverage tax. In 2021, after sustained pressure from public health advocacy groups, the federal government introduced an excise duty of ₦10 per litre on all non-alcoholic and sugar-sweetened drinks. However, evidence shows that ₦10 is too low to significantly influence consumption behaviour.
“South Africa, Mexico, and other countries have already shown that higher tax rates on sugary drinks reduce consumption, encourage companies to reformulate, and generate revenue for public health. Global health institutions, including the World Health Organisation, are now urging countries to go even further by raising the real price of sugary drinks, alcohol, and tobacco by at least 50 per cent over the next decade as part of a global strategy to curb the rise of non-communicable diseases.
“In Nigeria, a 2024 study by the Centre for the Study of the Economics of Africa estimated that Nigeria requires an SSB tax of at least ₦130 per litre if we are to achieve real impact on health outcomes. Such a tax is not merely a fiscal measure. It is a public health intervention that reduces obesity, curbs diabetes, and provides revenue that can be reinvested in healthcare systems.
“But taxation is only one part of the solution. Another powerful tool is the front-of-pack warning labels (FOPWL), which give consumers simple, visible information when a product is high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats. Countries like Chile, Mexico, and Peru have implemented FOPWL systems with remarkable success—leading to reduced consumption of harmful products and prompting companies to reformulate their offerings. Recently, Nigeria inaugurated a National Technical Working Group on FOPWL, signalling a commitment to empowering citizens with the information they need to make healthier choices. This is a policy space where youth advocates like yourselves must play an active role, ensuring that labels adopted are clear, mandatory, and effective, not watered down by industry lobbying.
“Building on this, a third and equally urgent intervention is salt reduction. Excess salt consumption is one of the leading contributors to hypertension and cardiovascular disease in Nigeria. The WHO recommends that adults consume less than 5 grams of salt per day. Studies show that Nigerians consume nearly double this amount, much of it from processed foods, bread, instant noodles, bouillon cubes, and salty snacks. Reducing salt intake could save thousands of lives annually, prevent strokes and heart attacks, and reduce healthcare costs.
“Countries such as the United Kingdom and South Africa have successfully implemented salt reduction strategies, including reformulation targets for industry, mandatory labelling, and public awareness campaigns. Nigeria has already developed National Sodium Reduction Guidelines, but implementation remains weak. Strong advocacy is needed to translate these guidelines into enforceable regulations that reduce salt in processed foods and protect the health of millions.
“These three policies—effective taxation of unhealthy products, clear front-of-pack warning labels, and sodium reduction—form a powerful package. Together they can reshape Nigeria’s food environment, reduce the burden of disease, and save lives. But policies alone will not succeed without public awareness, advocacy, and leadership. This is where young people come in.”
Continuing, he solicited the involvement of more Nigerians to win the fight for food justice. “The fight for food justice in Nigeria will not be won by experts alone. It will be won by informed and organised citizens who are persistent, strategic, and uncompromising in demanding healthier food policies.
“The forces we face are powerful. They include multinational corporations with deep resources and pockets, extensive political connections, and sophisticated marketing. They will argue that regulation is unnecessary, that consumers simply need to make better choices, and that voluntary corporate social responsibility projects are sufficient. But the evidence is clear: without strong regulation, without fiscal measures, without labelling, and without reformulation, the burden of non-communicable disease and other economic and social consequences of unhealthy diet would outpace pandemic proportions.”
Delivering his lecture, titled “Movement building, youth activism, and the quest for healthy food policies in Nigeria”, the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, Prof Adelaja Odukoya, decried the loss of food sovereignty, which has worsened the food system, as communities no longer control what is produced, how it is distributed, or what is ultimately consumed.
The professor, who also expressed concern over the unavailability of nutritious food, which has forced people to consume what is available instead of what is beneficial to health, called on the government and Nigerians to embrace food justice by prioritising local foods, regaining control of food systems, and ensuring that people are prioritised above profits.
“The problem of food justice is very grave and serious. If we do not pay attention to it, we are risking our future. As was emphasised in the lecture, food justice implies that an injustice exists. This injustice is organically connected to the fact that nutritious foods are no longer readily available.
“Today, availability dictates food choice. In other words, we are forced to eat what is available instead of what is desirable, what is nutritious, or what is beneficial to the body.
“The health consequences are alarming. We are seeing rising cases of heart-related diseases, diabetes, cancer, and other conditions. This crisis compromises not only our health but also our national wealth, prosperity, and manpower, leaving the entire nation worse off.
“Therefore, there is an urgent need for us to embrace food justice. The government must act now. We call on patriotic Nigerians both inside and outside of government to join this struggle and make a difference.”
