On the occasion of World Health Day 2025, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has reiterated its call for governments at all levels to prioritize healthcare funding and adopt healthier food policies.
This call is in light of the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria, many of which are linked to unhealthy diets promoted by the sugary drinks and ultra-processed food industries.
The theme for this year’s World Health Day, “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” centers on the health of mothers and babies, which CAPPA believes is foundational for healthy families and hopeful futures.
The organization stressed that the occasion provides an opportunity for the Nigerian government to reassess and strengthen its food systems, ensuring that all citizens, particularly vulnerable groups, have access to nutritious and affordable food.
In a statement marking World Health Day, CAPPA highlighted concerning data about Nigeria’s health indicators. The country faces some of the worst health outcomes in the world, including high rates of NCDs, malnutrition, infectious diseases, and maternal mortality.
“Every day, many parents – misled by the ultra-processed food industry – inadvertently make food choices high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) that harm their children’s health,” said Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of CAPPA.
Oluwafemi further explained the growing threat posed by the food industry’s influence on public health. “This industry aggressively promotes the excessive consumption of nutrient-poor, calorie-dense products – that it presents as foods – thus exacerbating Nigeria’s already troubling prevalence of non-communicable diseases like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular conditions,” he said.
He also noted that these health challenges place additional strain on Nigeria’s healthcare system, which is already struggling.
One of the major factors contributing to the country’s healthcare crisis, according to CAPPA, is ‘inadequate funding’.
The Nigerian federal government allocated ₦2.48 trillion to the health sector in its 2025 budget, which constitutes only 5.18% of the total ₦47.9 trillion budget.
This allocation falls short of the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 13% and the African Union’s Abuja Declaration target of 15%. The Abuja Declaration, signed by African Union member states in 2001, calls for at least 15% of national budgets to be devoted to health.
Despite this funding shortfall, CAPPA acknowledged some positive steps taken by the government. In particular, the organization commended the federal government and public health authorities for launching the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction in March 2025.
The guideline, is a policy aimed at reducing excessive salt consumption, seeks to address the rising burden of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria.
CAPPA views these policies as essential steps in protecting public health. “These policies are low-hanging fruits with high yields in the race to protect public health,” said Oluwafemi.
The organization urged the government to continue prioritizing health policies that can have a significant impact on public well-being, including regulations that restrict the consumption of unhealthy food products.
To ensure the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction achieves its goals, CAPPA has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to expedite the formulation of suitable regulations. These regulations would enforce sodium targets in processed and packaged foods and help to reduce sodium intake across the country.
In addition to sodium reduction, CAPPA raised concerns about the health risks posed by sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). The NGO emphasized the need for the Nigerian government to adopt the World Health Organization’s recommendation to increase taxes on sugery drinks by at least 20%. CAPPA specifically called for a substantial increase in the rate on non-alcoholic, carbonated, and sweetened beverages, from the current ₦10 per liter to at least ₦130 per liter.
“This adjustment is essential to achieving the intended health benefits of the policy,” said Oluwafemi.
CAPPA also believes that increasing the retail price of sugary drinks through higher taxes will reduce their consumption, thereby contributing to the prevention of obesity and other diet-related Non- Communicable Diseases.
The statement also addressed the growing threat of tobacco-related diseases, which CAPPA argues could be mitigated through improved food policies and greater investment in tobacco control programs. Tobacco use is considered the leading cause of preventable deaths globally.
Oluwafemi pointed out that while the Nigerian government has increased its allocation to the Tobacco Control Fund (TCF) to ₦13 million in the 2025 budget, this amount remains grossly insufficient. “N13 million is not enough to effectively implement the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) 2015 and protect Nigerians from the harms of tobacco use,” he stated.
CAPPA has called on the federal government to increase the allocation to the TCF to at least ₦300 million. The organization argues that a more significant investment in tobacco control is essential to reducing the health burden caused by tobacco-related diseases.
As Nigeria faces an uphill battle to meet global survival targets by 2030, CAPPA believes that stronger health policies and increased funding can help steer the country toward a healthier future. “By implementing healthy food policies, the country stands a chance of giving its people hope for a better future,” the statement concluded.