The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has sounded the alarm over the growing threat of deceptive marketing by food and beverage companies in Nigeria, urging the government to take decisive action to safeguard public health. This call was made during a high-profile media presentation and launch of its latest report titled “Junk on Our Plates: Exposing Deceptive Marketing of Unhealthy Foods across Seven States in Nigeria.”
The report, a result of extensive monitoring across Lagos, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Imo, Abuja (FCT), Niger and Osun, unveils how multinational and local food companies are aggressively marketing ultra-processed, sugar-laden, and high-sodium products across Nigerian homes, schools, and communities—often through misleading tactics. Speaking at the event, CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director, Zikora Ibeh, highlighted the crucial connection between diet and health, warning that Nigeria’s food environment is rapidly deteriorating. “Food is not just fuel—it defines how we live and thrive,” Ibeh said. “But what we’re witnessing is a dangerous shift. We are consuming too much salt, sugar, and fat—often without knowing what’s in our food or understanding the risks. This event is about awakening the public and empowering people to take back control of their diets.”
Data from the Federal Ministry of Health cited in the report shows that non-communicable diseases (NCDs)—many of them diet-related—now account for more than 30% of deaths in Nigeria. CAPPA’s findings suggest that the current regulatory framework is too weak to counter the scale and sophistication of the food industry’s marketing campaigns.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, explained that companies take advantage of regulatory loopholes to push harmful products under the guise of convenience and tradition. “We found widespread use of misleading labels, deceptive advertisements, and culturally tailored campaigns designed to normalise and promote unhealthy foods,” Akinbode said. “These tactics are not only deceptive but also deadly, as they lead to increased cases of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure—conditions once considered ‘foreign’ but now rampant in Nigeria.”
The report uncovered alarming strategies used by brands, including branding of rural kiosks, use of local languages and cultural icons, celebrity endorsements, and marketing in schools and religious centres. These efforts are particularly insidious in rural areas, where awareness about nutritional content and health implications remains low.
“In states like Niger, Kaduna, and Nasarawa, companies like Maggi and Dangote are branding kiosks and retail shops without informing sellers about the long-term health consequences of excessive sodium intake,” said Humphrey Ukeaja, CAPPA’s Industry Monitoring Officer.
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In Imo State, the report noted, Coca-Cola promoted sugar-sweetened beverages using Igbo slogans linked to cultural festivals like Ofala, effectively embedding unhealthy products into the local cultural fabric. Even worse, some sugary products were falsely labelled. “We saw yogurts labelled as ‘not sugary’ when, in fact, they were packed with sugar. This mirrors global cases, such as the $190 million lawsuit against Coca-Cola for deceptive labelling,” Ukeaja added.
Akinbode noted that this aggressive marketing, combined with weak regulations and limited access to healthier options, is fuelling a public health crisis. “Diseases we once called ‘oyibo sicknesses’—obesity, hypertension, diabetes—are now hitting Nigerian families at alarming rates,” he said. “We cannot ignore the direct link between these conditions and the junk being sold to us as food.” While acknowledging recent government initiatives—including the 2021 sugar-sweetened beverage tax, NAFDAC’s 2023 food labelling regulations, and the 2025 National Sodium Reduction Guidelines—Akinbode stressed that far more needs to be done. “These are commendable steps, but they only scratch the surface,” he said.
“Our report makes it clear: the food industry must be held accountable. We call on government agencies, civil society, and the media to join forces in demanding tighter regulations, truthful labelling, and stronger protections for consumers.”
CAPPA concluded by reaffirming its commitment to advocating for a healthier, more transparent food system—one that puts Nigerians’ well-being above corporate profit.