On the occasion of World Obesity Day (WOD) 2026 on Wednesday, March 4, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called for stricter policies to curb the aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages linked to obesity and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), warning that decisive regulation is critical to protect public health.
In a statement marking this year’s theme, “8 billion reasons to act on obesity,” CAPPA noted that the disease has become one of the world’s most urgent health challenges, with projections indicating that nearly half of the world’s population – about 4 billion people – could be living with overweight and obesity by 2035.
The organisation stressed that Nigeria is not insulated from this trend, saying shifting dietary patterns, rapid urbanisation, and the growing normalisation of ultra-processed foods in the national diet are negatively reshaping the country’s food environment.
CAPPA warned that the unregulated marketing, and proliferation of local market shelves with foods high in sugar, salt and trans fats, are contributing significantly to rising cases of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and other diet-related conditions across the country.
According to data published by the National Library of Medicine, as of 2020, over 21 million Nigerians aged 15 years and above were overweight, while more than 12 million were classified as obese.
Particularly troubling, the group said, is the targeted advertising of such products to children and young people through television, digital platforms, in-school promotions, and outdoor advertisements, especially at festive periods.
“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 governments 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 Organisation (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.
