By Tony Adibe
The Executive Director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, has bemoaned the increasing mortality rate associated with excess consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and drinks in Nigeria.
Oluwafemi warned against the consumption of sugar-sweetened products as it “accounts for about 30% of deaths annually in Nigeria,” while advocating for increased taxation on the products to reduce the alarming rate of non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity/overweight among the people.
These diseases, once considered rare, are now commonplace, cutting across income levels and age groups, according to Oluwafemi, who was quick to add: “Today, our country stands at a crossroads—a critical public health and economic crossroads…Our hospitals are overflowing with patients, our families are burdened with healthcare costs, and our productivity is shrinking.”
Referencing the World Health Organization (WHO) data, Oluwafemi said that more than 75 per cent of all deaths worldwide annually were attributable to the consumption of SSB products.
The CAPPA Executive Director spoke during the opening of a 2-Day training tagged, “Journalism Training On Effective SSB Tax and Industry Interference”, which ended in Enugu on Friday.
He explained that the SSB tax “is a public health policy that imposes a levy on sugary drinks to discourage excessive consumption, reduce sugar-related diseases, and generate revenue for health promotion.”
Oluwafemi advised the Nigerian government to increase taxation on sugary consumables from ₦10 to at least ₦130 per litre to prevent a worsening health crisis. The CAPPA Executive Director emphasised that the current tax, which was introduced in 2021, is outdated and weak, or insignificant in changing consumers’ behaviours.
He attributed the present surge of non-communicable sicknesses to the unchecked consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugar-laden beverages, describing it as a “public health emergency.”
The anti-sugary-products advocate also spoke about the intrigues used by the SSB industry that go to any length to misinform, lobby, and sabotage public health measures.
“We have seen, time and again, how the SSB industry — both in Nigeria and globally — fights to undermine and sabotage public health measures. Whether through front groups masquerading as manufacturing associations, “consumer rights” advocates, the commissioning of biased studies, or lobbying policymakers behind closed doors, the industry has a clear playbook: protect profits at all costs,” Oluwafemi said.
According to him, research has shown that a minimum “tax of ₦130 per litre is needed to reduce sugary intake”, adding that Nigeria’s current 1% rate falls far below the recommended 20% benchmark. Oluwafemi also spoke on the significant role of the media in creating awareness about the health risks associated with the consumption of sugar-sweetened products.
“Your voice can either amplify the truth or echo industry propaganda. You have the power to:
- Inform the public about the devastating health impacts of sugary drink overconsumption.
*Hold policymakers accountable for delaying or watering down lifesaving interventions.
- Investigate the covert tactics of industry misinformation, scaremongering and lobbying.
- And shine a light on the communities most affected by diet-related diseases.
“Hence, this training is not just about reporting taxes. It is about equipping you with the tools to tell the story of a growing public health crisis and the policy solutions that could transform lives. The public needs stories that centre on the lived experiences of ordinary Nigerians whose health is being sacrificed on the altar of sugary profits,” he said.
Other speakers during the training included the Associate Executive Director, CAPPA, Zikora Ibeh, whose speech focused on “Cultivating the Media for People-Friendly Public Health Advocacy”; a Public Health Expert in the Department of Health Promotion and Environmental Health Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Prof. Olaitan Olukunmi Lanre, who spoke on “SSBs and Nigeria’s NCD Burden”; an Economist/Researcher, Austin Iraoye, whose speech was titled, “SSBs and Economic Impact on Household: Cost of Diseases and Effective Taxation”, among others.
The training, which ended on Friday, was to equip journalists drawn from various media outlets in SouthEast Zone of Nigeria to be able to campaign against the unchecked consumption of sugary drinks and beverages.
