More than 30 per cent of annual deaths in Nigeria are now linked to diet-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular conditions, according to a new report by the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).
The report, titled Junk on Our Plates: Exposing Deceptive Marketing of Unhealthy Foods Across Seven States in Nigeria, was launched on Tuesday by CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, during a media briefing in Lagos.
Oluwafemi said that Nigeria is witnessing a dangerous shift in its dietary habits, with traditional nutrient-rich meals being replaced by highly processed, sugar-laden, and nutrient-poor foods aggressively promoted by both multinational and local companies.
“Obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases now rank among the leading causes of death in the country. Together, they account for more than 30 percent of all annual deaths in Nigeria, and the numbers are still rising,” Oluwafemi stated.
According to the report, deceptive marketing strategies—including misleading labelling, covert advertising, and targeting of children—are enabling the food and beverage industry to push unhealthy products into Nigerian homes and schools.
These tactics, the report claims, mirror those previously used by the tobacco industry.
CAPPA is calling on the Federal Government to implement stricter regulations on food marketing—especially those targeted at children—and to enforce clearer front-of-pack warning labels.
The group also recommends setting mandatory limits on salt and sugar in processed foods and launching sustained, state-led public awareness campaigns.
“We must prioritise our food environment and how it affects what people eat. This is not just about individual choices, but about the systems that shape access and affordability,” Oluwafemi added.
While acknowledging efforts made by the government—including the introduction of the Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB) Tax in 2021, transfat regulations in 2023, and the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction in 2025—CAPPA insists that more comprehensive action is needed.
“These are good steps, but as this report shows, we still have a long way to go,” Oluwafemi noted. “The industry continues to exploit loopholes and weak enforcement to promote unhealthy food options.”
The organisation urged citizens, civil society, and policymakers to view food justice as a matter of fairness and public health, not just personal choice, stressing the need for food policies that are free from corporate interference.
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