CAPPA seeks stricter regulation of sugar-heavy, ultra-processed food ads

Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has urged the federal government to introduce stricter regulations on the marketing of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and ultra-processed foods to children, warning that festive seasons have become peak periods for aggressive advertising that pose risks to public health.

“Nigeria must act decisively to regulate its food environment in the public interest,” CAPPA Executive Director Akinbode Oluwafemi said on Wednesday in Lagos while presenting the organisation’s latest report.

CAPPA is a pan-African non-governmental organisation concerned with advancing human rights, promoting public health, challenging entrenched abuse of nature and the environment, and building community power for inclusive development and participatory governance.

Its report, titled ‘Unhealthy Food Hijack of Festive Periods in Nigeria,’ examined marketing activities during the 2025 Christmas and 2026 New Year celebrations. According to CAPPA, major food and beverage companies saturated public spaces and digital platforms with promotions linking products high in sugar and salt to festive joy, generosity and community celebrations.

Sugar-dense foods contain a high amount of sugar relative to their total weight or volume. These items provide a rapid burst of energy (calories) but typically offer very little fiber, protein, or essential vitamins.

On their part, ultra-processed foods are formulations made mostly or entirely from substances extracted from foods (oils, fats, sugar, starch, and proteins) and containing additives like flavorings, colorings, and emulsifiers. They are designed to be “hyper-palatable,” convenient, and have a long shelf life.

“Festive periods were treated as opportunities to intensify brand visibility, associate unhealthy products with social meaning, and drive consumption at scale,” Mr Oluwafemi said.

The report found that exposure to such marketing was widespread and nearly unavoidable for children across malls, markets, parks, schools, religious centres, transport hubs and social media platforms.

“Children, young people, and low-income households are the most exposed and the least protected, yet they bear the highest health and financial costs when diet-related illnesses emerge,” Mr Oluwafemi added.

Key findings

CAPPA identified several trends, including the saturation of public spaces with festive-themed advertising and youth-targeted promotions featuring Santa imagery, concerts and product giveaways.

The organisation also pointed to the increasing use of artificial intelligence-generated content to enhance emotional appeal and engagement.

It further accused companies of using corporate social responsibility initiatives as indirect marketing tools.

“Donations tied to brand visibility are not acts of charity. They are indirect advertising strategies that exploit trust, culture, and faith while promoting products that undermine public health,” Mr Oluwafemi said.

CAPPA linked the marketing practices to Nigeria’s growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including hypertension, diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular diseases.

“Nigeria is already facing a severe non-communicable disease crisis,” Mr Oluwafemi said, warning that increased consumption of ultra-processed foods could worsen long-term health and economic pressures on households and the health system.

The organisation argued that festive marketing acts as a “risk multiplier,” reinforcing unhealthy consumption patterns at a time when food intake is already elevated.

Policy recommendations

CAPPA called for comprehensive and legally binding restrictions on the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of unhealthy food and beverage products, particularly during festive periods.

“CAPPA reiterates the need for a strengthened sugar-sweetened beverage tax set at 50 per cent of the retail price, with revenues earmarked for non-communicable disease prevention and health system strengthening,” Mr Oluwafemi said.

The group also advocated mandatory front-of-pack warning labels, limits on outdoor advertising density in low-income areas, and a ban on influencer and celebrity marketing targeting children.

“Advertising rules without enforcement are symbolic,” Mr Oluwafemi added, urging regulators to impose substantial penalties, including fines and licence suspensions, on violators.

Research methodology

CAPPA said it monitored marketing activities between 25 November 2025 and 5 January using purposive and snowball sampling across Lagos, Abuja, Onitsha, Ibadan and Kaduna. Field teams documented branded events, outdoor advertising and influencer campaigns, while digital content was tracked across Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and YouTube.

Explaining the research approach, CAPPA’s Industry Monitoring Officer, Humphrey Ukeaja, said the organisation deliberately focused on festive marketing activities by food and beverage companies.

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“We were very purposive in our sampling. In research, you must define what you are looking for and how you intend to find it. Our focus was specifically on the food and beverage industry and its festive marketing activities,” Mr Ukeaja said.

He noted that while some promotional activities extended beyond the monitoring period, documentation formally concluded on 5 January.

CAPPA has previously urged the government to raise Nigeria’s SSB tax from the current N10 per litre to at least N130 per litre to discourage excessive consumption and fund public health interventions.

As of the time of filing this report, representatives of the food and beverage industry had not responded to CAPPA’s claims.

CAPPA said it hopes the report will prompt policymakers to prioritise public health considerations and strengthen protections for children against what it described as predatory marketing practices.