Cooperate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) a rights advocacy group has called on stakeholders including the media to increase advocacy on nutrient profiling models (NPM) and front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) to ensure sodium intake reduction, to fight the scourge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
CAPPA, said the collaborative effort for advocacy, is to help drum to the Federal Government of Nigeria to quickly address the health hazards associated with the diseases including hypertension, cardiovascular, and obessity.
Mr. Oluwafei Akinbode Director Cooperate Accountability and Public Participation (CAPPA) during a one-day Media training in Abuja on Wednesday stated that Sodium Reduction, Nutrient Profile Models (NPM), and Front of Pack Warning Label (FOPWL) in Nigeria, are three concepts which are critical to the Nigerian food system and health.
He said, across Nigeria, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become an urgent public health crisis, accounting for about 29 percent of all annual deaths. The most prevalent of these conditions include cardiovascular diseases (especially hypertension), cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases.
He said, “Hypertension, for instance, now affects roughly 30 percent of all adults in the country, and, according to the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report, remains a major concern.”
Further explaining, he noted, that one of the leading risk factors for NCDs is excessive sodium intake, which is often found in prepackaged and ultra-processed foods. “These unhealthy products are aggressively marketed, including to children, by powerful food corporations whose motive is profit, no matter the cost to our PPP
health.”
Statistically, Akinbode, analyzed that The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a maximum daily intake of salt of 5 grams, noting that the latest data shows that Nigerians consume up to 10 grams daily.
“This overconsumption is largely hidden in everyday items such as seasoning cubes, instant noodles, snacks, bread, sauces, and drinks. These products are often marketed as convenient and modern, yet their nutritional realities are either unclear, hidden, or absent.
“There is clearly a case for policy intervention to stem this tide and protect Nigerians.
Last year, the Nigerian government reflected on the problem and launched the National Sodium Reduction Guidelines as part of a comprehensive strategy to combat non-communicable diseases by setting salt targets for priority food categories.”
He highlighted that the guidelines, nutrient profile models, and the push for mandatory front-of-pack warning labels are confirmed steps toward a healthier Nigeria.
“However, these steps are at risk of derailment if the public does not understand them, and if the media fails to hold powerful corporations accountable for interfering in these policies.
“This workshop is designed to give you the facts, the context, and the tools to interrogate these issues in your reports.
As the agenda for this training shows, we will move from the science of salt and nutrient profiling to the tactics of industry interference and the practical ways journalists can influence policy and behaviour.
“When you explain how much salt is hidden in everyday foods seasoning cubes, instant noodles, bread, sauces you change the conversation in homes and markets. When you investigate who funds research or shapes regulation, you expose the conflicts that slow progress. When you tell stories that centre people rather than profits, you help build the public that will make policy change and enforcement possible.”
Joseph Ekiyo, Public Health Consultant and general physician, making a presentation on unhealthy diets and the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria, highlighted that not everything in the table is diet. However, he said that wrong feeding over the two decades, had introduced western diseases like cardiovascular diseases, Obesity, hypertension, and more. ” These are caused by shifts in lifestyles, with a shift from the organic foods we earlier consumed to processed foods.”
Bukola Olukemi Adele, a program officer on cardiovascular health in Cooperate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) recommended that Nigeria should join other countries in making policies on the front of package labels, sodium and sugar policy to ensure healthy living of its citizens.
Mr Femi Stephen, from the Ministry of Heath and social welfare, revealed that he ministry is currently puting final touches on the draft policy for the regulation on Front -of Pack labeling and sodium reduction. He also calls for support from all stakeholders to ensure that the purpose for this policy is realized when made public.
He negligence to this facts would in the feature reduce per capital income of Nigerian sufferers as the disease poses financial constraint on each individual and family “Those things if not checked will affect reduction in the health of Nigerian workers and their daily contribution to the economy, this because sick man or woman can not work in full capacity for the national economy.
Commenting on the WHO recommendation of 3.70 percent intake of sodium per day, he however, stated that Nigeria is still within 900 grams of sodium intake per day.
“The Federal government is keen to gazette the sodium reduction policy in Nigeria through the enforcement of front-of-pack labelling, and this includes the 30 percent national reduction policy.”
Dr. Jerome Mafeni, Technical Adviser, Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED) reminded that Nigeria is facing a triple burden of malnutrition including persistent undernutrition, micronutrient deficiency, and a growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
He said, ” This can only be stopped through nutrition profiling by the federal government by adopting the WHO models and recommendations.
The organisers however, submitted that Nigeria with a huge population of over 270 million people is currently targeted by food processing companies through its youths demography.
Source: The Sun
