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To mark World Obesity Day (WOD), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has reiterated its call for comprehensive healthy food policies to improve local diets and address Nigeria’s growing burden of obesity and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
In a statement signed by Robert Egbe, Media & Communications Officer, CAPPA, the civil society organization (CSO) highlighted alarming global obesity data, reinforcing the need for urgent measures to reduce Nigerians’ excessive consumption of sugary drinks—a key risk factor for obesity and overweight.
As part of these measures, CAPPA advocates for an increase in the Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB) Tax from the current N10 to N130 per litre or at a rate not lower than 20% of the product’s retail price.
World Obesity Day promotes practical solutions for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, accessing appropriate treatment, and reversing the obesity crisis. CAPPA aligns with this year’s theme, “Changing Systems, Healthier Lives,” which urges key players—including food systems, healthcare providers, governments, media, workplaces, and communities—to take action.
“These systems are directly or indirectly linked to the increasing rates of obesity,” said Akinbode Oluwafemi, CAPPA’s Executive Director.
The organization emphasized that the urgency of action is backed by troubling global and local forecasts on diabetes.
According to the World Obesity Federation (WOF), 1.9 billion people—or 1 in 4—will be living with obesity by 2035, costing the global economy approximately $4.32 trillion, double the figure recorded in 2010. Worse still, childhood obesity is projected to increase by 100% between 2020 and 2035.
“Ten years after the international health community set aside March 4 as World Obesity Day, it is disheartening to see a condition once thought to be more prevalent in wealthy nations steadily creeping into low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria,” Akinbode said.
He cited data from the National Library of Medicine, which reported that as of 2020, Nigeria had over 21 million overweight individuals and 12 million obese persons aged 15 years or older, with age-adjusted prevalence rates of 20% and 12%, respectively.
CAPPA urged the government to address the influx of unhealthy, ultra-processed foods into Nigerian markets, particularly products **targeting
