The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has urged the federal and state governments to implement decisive policies to promote healthy, indigenous diets while curbing the growing consumption of ultra-processed foods (UFPs).
In a statement by its media and communication officer, Robert Egbe, CAPPA raised concerns about the increasing replacement of traditional Nigerian meals with unhealthy, highly processed alternatives, many of which are high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, but low in vital nutrients.
The organisation warned that this shift is accelerating Nigeria’s burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
The executive director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said, “Ultra-processed foods threaten Nigeria’s food safety, security, and sovereignty. Policies that restrict their consumption, especially among children, are a proactive approach to promoting better health and well-being.”
CAPPA has, therefore, advocated for a range of measures, including Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPWL) to inform consumers about harmful food content; effective enforcement of sodium targets in processed foods, an increased sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax of at least N130 per litre; and the development of a national Nutrient Profile Model (NPM).
The organisation also expressed alarm that UFPs such as instant noodles and sugary drinks have become dietary staples among internally displaced persons (IDPs) and school children, often due to availability, aggressive marketing, and inadequate regulation.
“Some of our nutritious indigenous foods that kept us healthy and shielded us from diseases are disappearing from our menus. Many of the food crops used to prepare these meals are now endangered due to our growing preference for exotic junk foods,” Oluwafemi warned.
A 2024 report by the Biodiversity Education and Resource Centre, in partnership with Heinrich Böll Stiftung Nigeria, listed several traditional foods, such as tropical almond, black velvet tamarind, oha leaf, and African yam bean, as at risk of extinction.
Further compounding the issue, CAPPA’s investigation, Junk on Our Plates, revealed that many food and beverage companies target children and young adults with misleading advertisements that falsely brand their products as “natural” or “nutritious.”
“The lack of effective regulations and poor enforcement of existing food policies rob Nigerians of the right to make informed food choices,” said Oluwafemi.
CAPPA emphasised that World Health Organisation (WHO) research supports FOPWL as a cost-effective tool for reducing diet-related diseases, while a significantly higher SSB tax could help address obesity and generate revenue for public health initiatives.
“The theme of this year’s World Food Safety Day, ‘Food Safety: Science in Action’, is a reminder that the fight for healthier food is also a fight for equity, justice, and national development,” Oluwafemi said.
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