CAPPA Tasks Govt to Prioritise Healthcare Funding, Healthy Food Policies
On this World Health Day, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has reiterated its call for government action to prioritize adequate healthcare funding and implement robust healthy food policies. These measures are essential to alleviate the rising exposure of Nigerians to unhealthy diets, largely promoted by the sugary drinks and ultra-processed food sectors, which are exacerbating the country’s burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
This year’s World Health Day theme, “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” emphasizes the health of mothers and infants, highlighting the need for governments to strengthen food systems to ensure that all Nigerians have access to nutritious meals.
In a recent statement, CAPPA cited alarming data indicating that Nigeria’s health indicators are critically low, with high rates of NCDs, malnutrition, infectious diseases, and maternal mortality that rank among the worst globally.
“Daily, many parents, misled by the ultra-processed food industry, unknowingly make dietary choices high in fat, sugar, and salt that jeopardize their children’s health,” stated Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of CAPPA. “This industry’s aggressive marketing of unhealthy, nutrient-poor products contributes significantly to Nigeria’s rising rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other cardiovascular diseases, further straining our healthcare system.”
Oluwafemi highlighted that the federal government allocated ₦2.48 trillion to the health sector in the 2025 budget, representing only 5.18% of the total ₦47.9 trillion budget. While this reflects an improvement from the previous year, it falls well short of the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 13% and the African Union’s Abuja Declaration target of 15%, which calls for member states to dedicate at least 15% of their national budgets to health.
CAPPA commended the Nigerian government for launching the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction on March 26, 2025, aimed at addressing excessive salt intake and reducing the prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. The organization urged the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to swiftly create regulations to enforce sodium targets in processed foods.
Furthermore, CAPPA emphasized the urgent need to address the public health risks associated