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  • CAPPA trains journalists on salt reduction, front-of-pack labelling

    CAPPA trains journalists on salt reduction, front-of-pack labelling

    Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting corporate accountability, has trained journalists on the importance healthy food policies, particularly sodium reduction, front-of-pack labelling (FOPL), nutrient profile models (NPM), and their significance for public health in Nigeria.

     Addressing the participants during the training held at De Meros Hotel & Suites, Ikeja, Lagos,  Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, the Executive Director of CAPPA noted that there is a silent, but very real, struggle ongoing for control of our food system. His words: “On the one hand are powerful corporate interests that prioritise profit over public health. On the other is the public, seeking to protect itself through government policy, regulation, and legislation. Whoever prevails in this contest will determine not only what millions of Nigerians eat daily, but also the health outcomes of generations to come.At the centre of this struggle is you, the media.

     “Your role as custodians of truth, shapers of public understanding, and defenders of the public interest is critical in determining which way the pendulum swings. What you report, how you frame it, and what you leave unquestioned all have real consequences for public health policy.

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     “This training, supported by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), is designed to shine a light on the tactics deployed by corporations that are fuelling a growing artificial appetite for ultra-processed food products often excessively high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats, across Nigeria.

    These practices are contributing directly to the alarming rise in non-communicable diseases, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers, which account for approximately 29 percent of all deaths in Nigeria and are placing an unsustainable burden on families and our already overstretched health system. More importantly, this training seeks to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to report effectively on policies that can reverse these trends. Furthermore, it will unpack the tactics used by the food and beverage industry to promote unhealthy diets and resist meaningful regulation, and how to monitor and counter such interference.”

     He emphasized that the stories reported by journalists  help shape policies that save lives and protect the well-being of Nigerians.

    Also speaking at the programme, the Food Safety Technical Lead, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Femi Stephen, stated that Nigeria’s salt intake is 3.9 grams per day which far exceeds the 2 grams safe limit, which is driving the country’s 38 per cent hypertension rate.

  • CAPPA backs call for state of emergency on diabetes care

    CAPPA backs call for state of emergency on diabetes care

    Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has joined the Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN) to urge the Federal Government to declare a national emergency on diabetes care.

    The organisation which spoke in a statement yesterday to mark the year’s World Diabetes day celebration,  also called for an upward review of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) tax, amongst other life-saving healthy food policies.

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    In a statement signed by CAPPA Media and Communication Officer, Robert Egbe, the body described as “alarming” a recent disclosure by the association’s president that no fewer than an estimated 30,000 Nigerians die yearly from diabetes, while as many as 11.4 million others are currently living with the debilitating disease, according to media report.

    It said this was even worse than the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimate, which reports a prevalence of roughly 3.0 per cent in Nigeria, with approximately 2.99 million adults living with diabetes.

  • CAPPA names Rafsanjani Board Chair, cautions on Nigeria’s mining rush

    CAPPA names Rafsanjani Board Chair, cautions on Nigeria’s mining rush

    The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has named civil rights advocate Auwal Musa Rafsanjani as Chairman of its Advisory Board following a board election held over the weekend.

    In a statement by its Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, CAPPA said Rafsanjani’s appointment marks a renewed mandate to strengthen its advocacy for public accountability, environmental justice and protection of civic space across Africa.

    Rafsanjani, who heads the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and serves as Nigeria’s Head of Transparency International, also chairs the Board of Trustees of Amnesty International Nigeria and leads the Zero Corruption Coalition.

    He has over three decades of experience in human rights, anti-corruption reforms, and legislative advocacy.

    CAPPA expressed confidence that his leadership would boost its campaigns at a time when civic space is shrinking and communities face growing economic and environmental risks.

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    Other members of the board include Oluwafemi as Secretary, Evelyn Nkanga Bassey as Treasurer, and activists Scott Pegg, Kayode Ogunbunmi, Betty Abah, and Doifie Buokoribo.

    Speaking after his election, Rafsanjani pledged to position CAPPA as a fearless defender of public interest, focusing on public health, extractive justice, and democratic governance.

    The board also warned against Nigeria’s “reckless” push in the solid minerals sector, noting that the global race for lithium and other green minerals is driving land grabs, displacement, and environmental degradation.

    It cautioned that without strong regulation and community consent, the country risks repeating the Niger Delta’s resource crisis.

    CAPPA called for a people-centred resource policy that prioritises environmental protection and equitable development, urging Nigerians to resist models that enrich a few while impoverishing many. It reaffirmed its commitment to working with labour, youth, and grassroots movements to promote transparency and public participation across the continent.

  • Excess salt consumption driving rise in non-communicable diseases, CAPPA warns

    Excess salt consumption driving rise in non-communicable diseases, CAPPA warns

    The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has raised alarm over the rising cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria, linking the trend to excessive salt consumption. Speaking at a two-day journalism workshop in Port Harcourt, CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the rate at which Nigerians consume salt—especially through processed and packaged foods—has become a major public health concern. The workshop was organised in collaboration with the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Centre for Communication and Social Impact, and the University of Abuja.

    With the theme: “Salt/FOPL Journalism Training on Industry Interference and Response Building,” the session was aimed at equipping journalists to better report and educate the public on the health risks associated with high salt intake. “Nigerians consume far more salt than the World Health Organisation’s recommended limit of five grams per day,” Oluwafemi said. “What is worrisome is that most of this salt is hidden in processed foods.” He called for mandatory salt reduction targets for processed and pre-packaged foods as well as the adoption of front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) to help consumers easily identify healthier products. He also warned about the increasing influence of food corporations on policymaking, saying such interference could stall public health reforms.

    Also speaking, Public Health Physician Dr. Joseph Ekiyor highlighted the severe consequences of high sodium intake. He noted that excessive salt consumption significantly raises the risk of hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, and other vascular diseases. According to him, cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death globally, with low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria bearing the highest burden. Ekiyor stressed the need for strong government policies to regulate salt levels in processed foods and encouraged manufacturers to adopt healthier production practices.

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    In his remarks, Dr. Jerome Mafeni, Technical Advisor at NHED, urged journalists to play a proactive role in driving public awareness and advocacy. “The media must continuously educate Nigerians on the dangers of excessive salt intake,” he said. “At the policy level, regulation is necessary to protect citizens and enable informed food choices.” Mafeni noted that while some progress had been made through advocacy and stakeholder engagement, such efforts have often faced resistance from industry players and bureaucratic hurdles. He called for sustained pressure to ensure that public health interests are prioritised over commercial influence.

  • CAPPA to Awujale: Declare Ojude-Oba smoke-free

    CAPPA to Awujale: Declare Ojude-Oba smoke-free

    Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has urged His Royal Majesty, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona Ogbagba II, Awujale of Ijebuland, to declare the Ojude Oba festival a No-Smoking or Smoke-Free Event, in the interest of public health.

    In a statement issued by the Media and Communication Officer, Robert Egbe, yesterday ,  CAPPA,  appealed to the Awujale and the Organising Committee of the 2025 Ojude Oba festival to prohibit smoking, glamourisation of tobacco products and tobacco advertisements across all festival grounds, and establish designated health stations where volunteers can educate participants on the risks of smoking and vaping.

    This year’s Ojude Oba festival, themed “Ojude Oba: Celebrating Our Roots, Preserving Our Future,” will be held on Sunday at the Dipo Dina International Stadium in Ijebu Ode.

    Each year, the festival attracts hundreds of thousands of participants and tourists, as well as global attention and media.

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    CAPPA tasked the revered monarch and the Ojude Oba organising committee to prevent the tobacco industry from using the event to target individuals and vulnerable groups with its products of death and disease.

    It said: “With this spotlight comes responsibility. Your Majesty and the Committee may recall that during last year’s Ojude Oba festival which featured many colourful appearances, a notable participant smoking on horseback.

    This image which circulated widely, was also seized by the tobacco industry to frame and promote smoking as fashionable, and a cultural norm.

  • CAPPA raises alarm on deceptive food marketing, calls for stronger regulation

    CAPPA raises alarm on deceptive food marketing, calls for stronger regulation

    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.

  • CAPPA calls for cessation of privatisation of water services

    CAPPA calls for cessation of privatisation of water services

    Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called for an immediate cessation of the privatisation of water services in Nigeria.

    The Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, made the call yesterday in Lagos at a media presentation of a new report titled: Big Debt, Big Thirst: A Case Study of World Bank Supported Projects in Ekiti, Rivers and Bauchi States.

    The report, according to him, examines the ongoing implications of privatisation reforms advocated by international financial institutions, particularly the World Bank, and reveals a disturbing pattern of systemic failures that continue to compromise water access for millions of Nigerians. “There is undeniably a crisis of potable water availability in Nigeria and across much of Africa. However, public discourse around this critical issue frequently attributes the problem to factors such as rapid population growth, climate change, ageing infrastructure, and weak governance structures that impact the performance of public water systems.”

    “But our research reveals that the water crisis confronting Nigeria and much of Africa cannot simply be attributed to environmental or demographic pressures alone but also the predictable outcome of decades-long state withdrawal from public investment, coupled with the aggressive imposition of neoliberal policies falsely presented as pathways to development. In this context, we have observed growing debates about water accessibility, particularly around whether water should remain a fundamental public good, universally accessible by right, or be treated as a market-driven commodity, subject to the impersonal forces of profit-oriented supply and demand.”

    While noting that privatisation and commercialisation are widely promoted as efficient solutions to public sector shortcomings, Akinbode  said “proponents of this approach argue that market mechanisms naturally foster investment and operational efficiency. Yet, the empirical reality from Ekiti, Rivers, and Bauchi states tells a markedly different story. Instead of improved water access and infrastructure, citizens experience steep tariff hikes, workforce downsizing, diminished public accountability, and continued systemic inefficiencies.

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    “The World Bank’s Third National Urban Water Sector Reform Project (NUWRSP3), supported by a significant $250 million loan from the International Development Association, promised transformative results for state water sectors through privatisation and corporatisation.

    “Yet our findings unequivocally hold that five years after the project’s completion and with a national debt repayment stretching over forty years, local communities remain deeply underserved and disappointed. Systemic issues such as lack of managerial accountability and inconsistent power supply, which were flagged as major challenges under public management, remain unaddressed and even exacerbated under this private-driven reform framework.”

    Across all three states, Akinbode  said a fundamental condition attached to the water project loans was the commitment-embedded even within policy frameworks to restructure state-owned water corporations into privatised entities or create conditions enabling unrestricted private sector involvement, including the acquisition of public water infrastructure. Despite this, no significant improvement has materialised in people’s access to reliable water supply.

    “Communities engaged in this report explicitly reject water privatisation. Yet, despite decades of documented failures-including those acknowledged by the World Bank’s own evaluations-our governments continue to be trapped in cycles of external debt, adhering obediently to prescriptions that have been proven ineffective time and time again.”

    The truth, he said,  remains that, unlike other utilities, the politics surrounding water access in Nigeria is deeply intertwined with cultural, religious, economic, social and public health considerations, making it unsuitable for binary market-driven solutions.

    “This complexity underscores, therefore, an urgent need for a fundamental rethinking of our national water governance. Even so, evidence abounds that the privatisation of water utilities has consistently failed-not just in Nigeria but across the globe.

    “It is on this premise that this report calls for an immediate cessation of the privatisation of water services in Nigeria. It advocates for a fundamental reorientation that recognises water as a fundamental human right, necessitating sustained public investment, transparent governance, and genuine democratic control.

    “Achieving this vision requires comprehensive public funding mechanisms, such as ring-fencing earnings from our natural resources to finance water infrastructure and projects, along with increased allocations of national and state budgets to the water sector. Additionally, robust regulatory frameworks and active community participation are essential to ensure equitable access and long-term sustainability.

    “Importantly, the findings of this report emphasise the urgency of confronting and challenging the broader ideological framework that drives the privatisation of public water utilities, deregulation, and austerity-an approach that continues to place the interests of financial institutions, corporations and private entities over public welfare.”

  • NTCA, CAPPA lament insufficient N13m Tobacco Control Fund

    NTCA, CAPPA lament insufficient N13m Tobacco Control Fund

    The Nigerian Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) and the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) have criticized the N13 million national budget for tobacco control in 2025, describing it as grossly inadequate.  

    Urging the federal government to substantially increase the Tobacco Control Fund (TCF), the groups argued that, in the interest of public health, the budget should be raised to at least N300 million.  

    They emphasized that tobacco remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease, killing half of its regular users. 

    Citing government records, they noted that no fewer than 26,800 Nigerians die annually from tobacco-related illnesses, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and stroke.

    Tobacco-related illnesses, they noted, often lead to catastrophic health expenditures, particularly for low-income families, trapping them in a cycle of poverty while tobacco cultivation consumes vast swaths of land that could otherwise support sustainable food production.  

    They further emphasized that tobacco production depletes essential resources such as land and water, diverting them from agriculture, while trillions of discarded plastic cigarette butts pollute ecosystems, causing further environmental harm.  

    Even more concerning, they warned, is the tobacco industry’s growing boldness in circumventing national regulations and laws, even as they lamented that despite years of sustained advocacy pushing the industry into the shadows, the industry players continue to leverage its vast financial resources to promote products linked to death and disease.  

    They also expressed alarm over the industry’s persistent efforts to undermine public health initiatives, noting that it aggressively targets youth through marketing, lobbies against tobacco control policies, and attempts to position itself as part of the solution to the very crisis it created.

    While acknowledging the government’s increase in the Tobacco Control Fund allocation from N4.7 million in 2023 to N10 million in 2024 and N13 million in 2025, the advocates lamented that the funding remains vastly inadequate for effectively implementing the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and protecting Nigerians from the widespread harms of tobacco use.

    Established under Section 8 of the NTC Act, 2015 and managed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the fund is financed through budget allocations, fines, and contributions from development bodies. 

    Emphasizing tobacco as a leading cause of preventable deaths, the advocates stressed that tackling it requires substantial funding and full implementation of the TCF.

    At a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Akinbode Oluwafemi, CAPPA’s Executive Director, said: “We urge the government to prioritize the Tobacco Control Fund, increase the allocation to at least N300million as an urgent measure to stop the tobacco industry from causing more damage. The lives of Nigerians are at stake.

    “While the government drags its feet on adequate allocation to the Tobacco Control Fund, the tobacco industry is relentlessly lobbying the public to embrace newer, stylish kinds of harmful tobacco products and other so-called smokeless nicotine-filled products that it falsely presents as ‘less harmful’ or ‘safer’ than traditional tobacco use.

    “These alternative nicotine products, including vapes, also known as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), heated tobacco products (HTPs), snus, and oral nicotine pouches, among others, are targeted at our teeming, impressionable youth population which the industry sees as a potential replacement for the thousands of others who die or whose lives are destroyed by tobacco use”.

    Olawale Makanjuola, NTCA Coordinator, stressed the need for transparency in administering the TCF, warning that increased budget allocations without proper utilization would be futile. 

    He urged the Federal Ministry of Health to comply with the law by remitting all funds to the TCF account and providing regular updates on its balance and expenditures.  

    Michael Olaniyan, Country Coordinator for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, warned that Nigeria’s failure to fund tobacco control costs lives, fuels youth addiction and burdens the health system.

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    While supporting the urgent call for substantial budgetary allocations to the TCF, NTCA and CAPPA emphasized that inadequate funding hampers awareness campaigns, enforcement, and industry regulation, allowing tobacco companies to exploit weak monitoring systems. 

    The advocates warned that relying on donor funding is unsustainable and urged the government to take responsibility for protecting public health by fully operationalizing and significantly increasing the TCF.

    They urged the Federal Government to strengthen enforcement, particularly in licensing manufacturers, importers, and vendors as stipulated in the Tobacco Act. 

    While acknowledging that licensing fees are minimal, they stressed that effective enforcement would generate resources for the government to fund the Tobacco Control Fund before seeking support from stakeholders and donors.  

    Additionally, they called for the removal of barriers preventing the National Tobacco Control Committee (NATOCC) and the Tobacco Control Unit (TCU) from accessing the Fund, ensuring they can effectively fulfill their mandates.

  • CAPPA charges FG over adverse effects of lithium mining on livelihoods, others

    CAPPA charges FG over adverse effects of lithium mining on livelihoods, others

    The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has cautioned the Nigerian government to approach its pursuit of industrial-scale lithium mining with a deep sense of environmental accountability and protection of local livelihoods.

    The non-profit organisation’s advice comes in the wake of the Nigerian government’s commissioning of its first and largest lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State.

    During a recent meeting with Chinese investors who built the plant, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was quoted as commending their efforts and investments and urging them to take advantage of the country’s huge market and cheap labour.

    The Nasarawa lithium plant, constructed by the Chinese firm, Avatar Energy Materials Company Limited, boasts a production capacity of 4,000 metric tonnes daily. Another Chinese firm, Canmax Technologies, has pledged to invest over $200 million in constructing another lithium processing plant in the State.

    While acknowledging the potential of lithium to drive Nigeria’s economic growth and position her at the forefront of the global race for green transition and production of cleaner technologies such as electric cars and inverters, among others, CAPPA cited concerns regarding the lack of state oversight.

     “Lithium extraction activities often result in environmental troubles, mainly as mining companies have been known to appropriate local waters for its processing and even engage in the indiscriminate disposal of waste in open waters and lands utilised by locals.

    “In many instances, communities have been violently displaced to facilitate mining operations, mostly driven by foreign interests, not to mention the depressing ecological damage associated with these sorts of activities, especially in our country, where environmental regulations are poorly enforced, and demand for corporate accountability is lacking, as with the experience of reckless oil extractivism in the country’s Niger Delta region.

     “The plant in Nasarawa may debut as the country’s first lithium plant, but across the country, the indiscriminate mining of this resource by foreign actors (allegedly by the Chinese) has been ongoing for donkey years, fuelling rural banditry, environmental disasters, insecurity, deprivation, and violence in many communities,” CAPPA stated.

    “We are concerned about the implications of these lithium investments for communities, given the systemic flaws inherent in Nigeria’s mining governance. Nigeria’s mining sector has historically favoured the federal government’s interests over those of local communities, creating a fundamental contradiction in resource ownership.

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    “While the Nasarawa State government has secured three mining licenses to extract tin, gold and lithium, the decision-making authority over mineral resources placed as the exclusive preserve of the federal government, whose responsibility is often only felt when it comes to administering mining leases, has spelt much trouble for vulnerable communities across the country.

    “These communities, who, though, are the true custodians of these minerals, are effectively locked out of important conversations that affect their cultural identities, livelihoods, and social space. Already, there have been reported incidents and ongoing issues of land ownership tussle in Nasarawa State, with foreign Chinese corporations laying claims to local lands rich in Lithium,” noted

    “Interestingly, the commissioning of the lithium plant is occurring at a time when discussions critiquing the outdated nature of Nigeria’s primary mining law, its discouraging provisions for joint oversight between the federal and state governments, and its exclusion of community voices have prompted an ongoing proposal for amendment through the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (Amendment) Bill. This raises questions about the agreement between Avatar Energy and the government and what solid benefits and protection it provides for local communities, especially with the limited disclosure of the project’s environmental impact assessment details.

    “Unfortunately, the president’s meeting with the Chinese investors revealed little about the royalties and benefits accruable to local communities. In fact, Mr. President’s assurances to the lithium investors of cheap labour in Nigeria present another dimension of worry.

    “We are afraid this will further consolidate the ongoing trend of exploitation by foreign mining companies, who employ locals for pittances that do nothing to improve local capacities and economies,” CAPPA observed.

    CAPPA cautioned against the government greenlighting Chinese and foreign investments without robust local control and responsibility to communities and the environment. It warned that such approvals could not only risk replicating familiar patterns of ecocide in the country but also further cement China’s efforts to monopolise the African lithium market while entrenching dangerous working environments.                               

    “Chinese lithium mining operators have been indicted in countries like Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo for their illicit mining operations which harm the environment and local people.

    “To safeguard local environments and livelihoods, as well as ensure a sustainable mining future, the Nigerian government must review the lopsided governance structure of the sector. This restructuring must firmly implant local communities in decision-making processes.

    “The government must also enforce strict regulations that prioritise community well-being, including robust environmental protections, fair compensation for land use, and opportunities for local economic development.

    “Corporations must be held accountable for their actions, and transparency must be demanded and enforced in their operations. Only through these measures can Nigeria break free from the risk of replicating another era of state-approved eco-oppression and build a mining future that is fair and empowering,” CAPPA concluded.

  • Sugary drinks industry undermining  public health for profits, says CAPPA 

    Sugary drinks industry undermining  public health for profits, says CAPPA 

    Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) and the National Sugar-sweetened Beverage Tax Coalition have warned of the dangers of too much sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption, saying the SSB industry is increasingly undermining public health for profits.

     Both organisations accused the industry of promoting deliberately misleading narratives, clouding the public’s understanding of the true health implications associated with habitual consumption of their products.

     They fingered SSBs including soda and fruit drinks as playing a role in the rising cases of obesity, diabetes and heart diseases and urged the government to check the problem by, among others, raising the Pro-health Policy (SSB tax) rate and passing it into law.

     The occasion was a press briefing by CAPPA and the Coalition on Pro-health Policy (Sugar-sweetened Beverages Tax), themed “SSB tax: Industry undermining public health for profits”.

     CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi emphasised the importance of reinforcing the dangers of SSB consumption, the need for an immediate review of the tax, and a call for government’s stringent action on industry activities, as the festive period draws closer.

     “For years, the sugar-sweetened beverages industry has painted a picture of sugary drinks as innocent pleasures. But behind the vibrant colours and catchy jingles lies a grim reality. SSBs are laden with empty calories, fuelling a public health crisis of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. The statistics are sobering: one in ten Nigerians now live with diabetes, placing a crippling burden on individuals and Nigeria’s healthcare system,” Olufemi said.

     He noted that the manufacturing industry “actively targets children and youths, bombarding them with sugary advertising and social activities, normalizing unhealthy habits at a crucial stage in their development.”

     In his view, this “predatory marketing” exploits the vulnerability of young minds, shaping preferences that echo for years. He added: “The consequences are far-reaching as diabetes and its complications steal years of healthy life, erode productivity, and strain resources, leaving families shattered and futures uncertain.”

     CAPPA’s ED argued further that amidst the festive cheer, the SSB industry drowns out public health concerns “with a deafening roar of misinformation. They blame personal responsibility. They ignore their aggressive marketing tactics that target the most vulnerable: children and low-income communities. While families come together for festive gatherings, the SSB industry feasts on obscene profits, built on the backs of collective health. These producers annually especially during festive seasons incorporate corporate activities like festivals, awards and sponsoring popular events, as a way of promoting their unhealthy products.”

     He described as “intense greenwashing” the industry’s cleaning up of shorelines, provision of motorised boreholes, different paid awards, and posturing as helpers of communities.

     “They are cleaning the shoreline of plastic wastes they created, providing water for communities they have used up and contaminated their water. All these are done to distract the people from the health dangers they are inflicting on the population.”

    Olufemi urged Nigerians to “choose public health over corporate greed and advocate for an increase in the current N10/ litre tax on these unhealthy drinks which began implementation in June 2022, demonstrably proven to reduce consumption by up to 20% in over 100 countries that have already implemented the tax.

    “SSB tax is a public health intervention, a nudge towards healthier choices, a disincentive to the excessive consumption of sugar. Studies have shown that a 10% SSB tax can lead to a significant decrease in consumption, particularly among low-income communities disproportionately affected by sugary drinks. The economic burden of treating chronic diseases far outweighs the tax revenue. “

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    In his presentation at the event titled “Unmasking the Truth: Navigating the Health Realities of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in Nigeria”, Public Health Consultant Dr. Francis Fagbule lamented that the industry has now become “Commercial determinants of health” in the country.

    He said Commercial determinants of health highlight the “influence that profit-oriented entities, particularly corporations and industries, have on shaping health-related behaviours and outcomes.”

    Fagbule identified the industry’s commercial determinants tactics that play a significant role in influencing patterns of consumption including heavy advertising and marketing, industry lobbying and influence and misinformation campaigns.

    “SSB industries often engage in lobbying activities to shape policies in their favour, resisting or diluting regulations such as SSB taxes or labelling requirements. The industry also engages in campaigns that downplay or dismiss the health risks associated with SSB consumption, creating confusion among the public. This misinformation challenges individuals’ ability to make informed and healthy choices,” he added.

    Dr. Fagbule further noted that the industry, often driven by commercial interests, propagates narratives and arguments that downplay the risks associated with SSBs and undermine the need for a higher and sustained SSB Tax as a legislative act in Nigeria.

    These, he said, include denying the health implications of their products and blaming individual choice.

    He urged policymakers to increase the SSB Tax Rate to achieve at least a 20% increase in retail prices, aligning with WHO recommendations, pass the SSB Tax as a legislative act to ensure stability and long-term effectiveness, allocate Tax revenue to healthcare, education, social services, research, and monitoring, with a focus on improving public health and addressing economic burdens and launch public awareness campaigns to educate the population about the health risks of SSB consumption and the benefits of the SSB Tax.