By JKNewsMedia
A NON-governmental advocacy group has issued a stark warning over the growing threat of ultra-processed foods (UFPs) to Nigeria’s food safety and public health, urging urgent government action to stem the tide.
Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), in a formal statement marking World Food Safety Day 2025, called for strict policy interventions to curb the surge in consumption of foods it described as dangerous to health and detrimental to national food security.
The group identified UFPs – often high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats – as key drivers of the country’s rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs), replacing traditional diets once rich in nutrients and protective against ailments now commonplace.
Among the measures recommended are Front-of-Pack Warning Labelling (FOPWL), an effective sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax, enforcement of sodium reduction in processed foods, and development of a Nutrient Profile Model (NPM) to guide consumer choices.
“Ultra-processed foods are a threat to Nigeria’s food safety, security and sovereignty,” said CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, stressing the need for urgent regulations, especially to protect children’s diets.
He described the unrestricted spread of junk foods such as instant noodles and sugary drinks in homes, schools, and humanitarian settings as a major setback to the nation’s health ambitions.
The statement criticised the widespread acceptance of junk foods as not only unhealthy but also displacing traditional alternatives.
Citing a 2024 report by the Biodiversity Education and Resource Centre and Heinrich Böll Stiftung Nigeria, CAPPA noted that indigenous foods like tropical almond, oha leaf, black velvet tamarind,
African yam bean, and bambara groundnut face extinction – partly due to the popularity of imported and industrialised food products.
Highlighting findings from its report, Junk on Our Plates, which covered seven states, CAPPA accused food and beverage companies of intensifying aggressive marketing of unhealthy products, often misrepresented as “natural” or “nutritious” – particularly to children and youths.
This practice, coupled with the absence of FOPWL and a weak N10-per-litre SSB tax, leaves Nigerians vulnerable to diseases like diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disorders, the group warned.
“Front-of-Pack Warning Labels provide clear, easily understandable information about the nutritional content of packaged foods,” said Oluwafemi.
“The World Health Organization recognises this as one of the most cost-effective tools for reducing diet-related NCDs.”
He argued for raising the SSB tax to at least ₦130 per litre to effectively combat obesity and NCDs linked to sugary beverages, while also generating revenue for public health interventions.
The group underscored that the 2025 theme of World Food Safety Day, Food Safety: Science in Action, reflects the vital connection between food systems, disease prevention, and social justice.
CAPPA insisted that food safety must no longer remain at the margins of Nigeria’s developmental planning but rather be prioritised as a central pillar of national wellbeing.
