In observance of World Obesity Day (WOD) 2026, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) is urging the implementation of stricter regulations to combat the aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages, which are linked to obesity and various noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). CAPPA emphasizes that robust regulatory measures are essential for safeguarding public health.
This year’s theme, “8 Billion Reasons to Act on Obesity,” underscores the urgency of addressing this global health crisis. CAPPA highlights alarming projections indicating that nearly half of the world’s population—approximately 4 billion people—could be affected by overweight and obesity by 2035.
The organization underscores that Nigeria is not exempt from this worrying trend. It points to changing dietary habits, rapid urbanization, and the increasing normalization of ultra-processed foods as significant factors reshaping the country’s food landscape.
CAPPA warns that the unregulated marketing of unhealthy food products, coupled with a rise in local market availability of items high in sugar, salt, and trans fats, is a major contributor to the escalating rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and other diet-related health issues in Nigeria.
According to data from the National Library of Medicine, by 2020, over 21 million Nigerians aged 15 and older were classified as overweight, with more than 12 million deemed obese.
Particularly concerning is the targeted advertising of unhealthy food products aimed at children and adolescents, prevalent on television, digital media, in-school promotions, and outdoor billboards, especially during festive seasons.
“The aggressive promotion of ultra-processed foods to children is deliberate,” CAPPA argued, citing its latest report, titled ‘Unhealthy Food Hijack of Festive Periods in Nigeria. “Food and beverage corporations are shaping taste preferences early to secure lifelong consumers, while the public bears the long-term health and economic consequences.”
To address this growing crisis, CAPPA urged government at all levels to enact policies and enforce regulations restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children across all platforms.
The organisation also renewed its call for the National Assembly to substantially review the country’s Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB) tax upward. CAPPA maintained that the current rate remains too low to significantly reduce consumption. Hence it called for an increase to 50 per cent of the retail price, in line with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, noting that stronger fiscal measures would both discourage excessive intake and generate revenue for health financing.
Beyond taxation, CAPPA emphasised the urgency of adopting mandatory Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL) that clearly warns consumers when products are high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats. The organisation said simple, visible warning labels would empower Nigerians to make informed choices at a glance, counter deceptive marketing tactics, and encourage manufacturers to reformulate products to meet healthier standards.
In addition, CAPPA called for the development and enforcement of a robust national salt reduction regulation, noting the link between excessive sodium intake and obesity, hypertension, which affects millions of Nigerians and is a leading risk factor for stroke and heart disease. Setting mandatory salt targets for processed and pre-packaged foods, the group argued, is a practical and evidence-based intervention to protect public health.
As the world reflects on the “8 billion reasons” to act, CAPPA stressed that Nigeria has millions of reasons of its own to confront obesity.
“Protecting present and future generations from diet-related diseases requires effective policies, firm regulation and political will that puts people before profit,” the organisation concluded.
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