Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA has called on federal and state governments to reform Nigeria’s food environment, warning that access to unhealthy and heavily marketed processed foods is undermining efforts to prevent diabetes and other diet-related diseases.

The organisation made the call on Saturday, November 14, to mark World Diabetes Day 2026, observed under the theme, “Early Action on Diabetes”.

CAPPA argued that preventing diabetes requires more than early screening and medical treatment, urging the government to make nutritious, affordable and culturally appropriate foods more accessible while addressing commercial practices that promote unhealthy diets.

According to the International Diabetes Federation, Nigeria has the highest number of adults aged 20 to 79 living with diabetes in Africa, while the World Health Organisation estimates that nearly three in four adults with diabetes on the continent remain undiagnosed.

The organisation also cited an estimated ₦1.92 trillion annual out-of-pocket expenditure by Nigerian households on the treatment of diet-related non-communicable diseases, warning that the cost places additional pressure on vulnerable families.

CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said diabetes prevention should not be reduced to individual discipline, arguing that aggressive marketing, misleading product claims and the affordability of unhealthy foods were shaping dietary choices.

He cited CAPPA’s Junk On Our Plates report, which examined food and beverage marketing practices across seven Nigerian states and identified strategies used to promote ultra-processed products high in sugar and sodium.

The report highlighted targeted advertising to children, young people and low-income communities, as well as misleading nutrition labels, celebrity endorsements and the use of cultural imagery to promote unhealthy products.

“We cannot keep telling Nigerians to eat healthily while allowing unhealthy food and beverages to dominate our markets, schools, advertisements and public spaces,” Oluwafemi said, calling for stronger regulations to make healthier choices affordable and accessible.

Among its recommendations, CAPPA urged the government to conclude legislative action on the proposed review of the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage tax, following the Senate’s passage of the bill earlier this year.

It called for an inflation-adjusted excise tax of at least 20 per cent of the final retail price, in line with World Health Organisation recommendations, and urged that the revenue be transparently dedicated to preventing and managing diet-related diseases.

The organisation also called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to introduce mandatory, clear front-of-pack warning labels on packaged products high in sugar, sodium and unhealthy fats.

It further advocated statutory restrictions on the marketing and sponsorship of sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods targeting children and adolescents across television, digital platforms and public spaces.

CAPPA urged state governments to enforce federal public food procurement guidelines to ensure that schools, hospitals and other public institutions provide nutritious meals rather than ultra-processed products.

On industry influence, the organisation warned against what it described as “healthwashing”, where manufacturers use health claims, selected nutrient additions and lifestyle imagery to create misleading impressions about the nutritional value of products.

It specifically cautioned against using the fortification of sugary drinks and high-sodium products to disguise their nutritional concerns or weaken policies aimed at reducing their consumption.

CAPPA also called for increased funding for primary healthcare centres to provide free or subsidised blood glucose testing and essential medicines, alongside support for local insulin production.

It urged the government to redirect agricultural incentives towards smallholder farmers producing indigenous fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

“Diabetes is not inevitable, and early action against the condition must include action against the commercial practices that make unhealthy diets increasingly difficult to avoid,” Oluwafemi said.