The Federal Government has been asked to compel food and beverage manufacturers to disclose the quantity of salt and sugar in their products.
The request was made by a Non-governmental Organization, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, and is necessary to check the rising cases of non-communicable diseases and cardiovascular conditions linked to the excessive consumption of salt or sugar.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, at the launch of “Junk on Our Plates”, in Lagos, accused the food and beverage industry of leveraging extensive advertising, cultural trends, pricing strategies, and distribution networks to influence food culture and dietary habits.
He said the food and beverage industry have often prioritized highly processed, calorie-dense, and nutrient-poor foods due to their profitability and long shelf life.
In his assessment, it was causing the slow disappearance of healthy, natural, indigenous foods from Nigerians’ menus.
Oluwafemi said, “Reports have exposed how food corporations use a sophisticated web of marketing strategies to get Nigerians, especially children and young adults hooked on ultra-processed foods which damage their health, undermine public health policies, and cost the Nigerian healthcare systems billions.”
While acknowledging Government’s efforts to address the situation, Oluwafemi brought to the attention of Nigerians the widespread promotion of foods high in saturated fats, salt and sugar, which he says is increasingly redefining global dietary patterns and impacting public health.
He noted that the government still has more work to do to address the situation.
“We acknowledged the Nigerian government’s “bold steps” to confront the challenge by, for example, introducing the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage, SSB, Tax of N10 per litre on SSBs aimed at discouraging their excessive consumption and reducing the risk of diet-related diseases.
“We need clear and readable front-of-pack warning labels on processed foods. We need limits on salt and sugar content. And we need public awareness campaigns and food policymaking that are state-led, free from corporate sponsorship or influence.
“Government need to strengthen regulations on the marketing of unhealthy foods, particularly to children, increasing Nigeria’s SSB tax from N10 to N130 to make sugary beverages less cost-attractive; and implementing national sodium reduction programs.
“Nigeria can take impactful steps toward promoting healthier dietary habits, reducing the crippling burden of non-communicable diseases and safeguarding the well-being of its population,” he said.