Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called on the Nigerian government at all levels to take urgent action against the widespread consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and promote healthy, indigenous diets.
In a statement to commemorate the World Food Safety Day 2025, CAPPA warned that the increasing availability and consumption of UPFs foods high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, but low in essential nutrients are contributing significantly to Nigeria’s growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular illnesses.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, described ultra-processed foods as a “threat to Nigeria’s food safety, security, and sovereignty,” and urged the implementation of regulatory policies that promote healthier food choices and discourage the aggressive marketing of unhealthy products. “Policies that restrict the consumption of ultra-processed foods, especially among children, are a proactive approach to promoting better health and well-being,” Oluwafemi said.
The organisation called for the adoption of key policy measures, including: Front-of-Pack Warning Labelling (FOPWL), Stricter sodium regulations for processed and packaged foods, an effective Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) tax, and a Nutrient Profile Model (NPM) to help define which foods are unhealthy.
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CAPPA noted that UPFs such as instant noodles and sugary beverages have become dominant food options, especially among internally displaced persons (IDPs) and in schools, due to their widespread availability and affordability.
This, they warned, is displacing nutrient-rich traditional foods and contributing to the erosion of indigenous food systems.Oluwafemi further lamented that this shift is threatening biodiversity, pointing to a 2024 report by the Biodiversity Education and Resource Centre in collaboration with Heinrich Böll Stiftung Nigeria, which listed traditional crops such as tropical almond, oha leaf, African yam bean, and bambara groundnut as endangered.
CAPPA also highlighted findings from its recent report, Junk on Our Plates, which documented how food and beverage companies are aggressively targeting children and young adults with misleading marketing often labelling unhealthy products as “natural” or “nutritious.” “This dangerous, greed-driven trend compounded by lax regulation, weak SSB tax enforcement, and the absence of FOPWL robs Nigerians of their ability to make informed food choices,” Oluwafemi said.
He noted that Front-of-Pack Warning Labels, already endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), have proven effective globally in helping consumers identify unhealthy products at a glance. He also argued that increasing the current SSB tax from ₦10 per litre to at least ₦130 per litre could significantly reduce obesity rates and generate revenue for public health initiatives. CAPPA emphasized that food policy is not only about health, but also about equity, justice, and development. “Food must not remain at the periphery of Nigeria’s public health and development agenda,” Oluwafemi concluded.
