By Chioma Obinna

Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, has raised the alarm over what it describes as the “unhealthy food hijack” of festive seasons in Nigeria, warning that aggressive marketing by food and beverage companies is worsening the country’s burden of diet-related diseases.

At a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, urged the Federal Government to impose stricter controls on the promotion of sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods, while also calling on Nigerians to take responsibility for their dietary choices.

Presenting findings from the organisation’s new report, Unhealthy Food Hijack of Festive Periods in Nigeria, which examined marketing activities during the 2025 Christmas and 2026 New Year celebrations, Oluwafemi said festive periods have become prime opportunities for companies to push unhealthy products, particularly in low-income communities.

According to him, between late November 2025 and early January 2026, CAPPA monitored malls, markets, parks, transport hubs, places of worship and digital platforms.

“What we saw was not an innocent celebration,” he said, “but a deliberate market expansion strategy that links unhealthy products to joy, generosity, togetherness and even moral virtue.”

He noted that companies invested heavily in outdoor advertising, branded donations, sponsored events, influencer campaigns and community activations, normalising frequent consumption of products high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.

CAPPA also raised concerns about the use of corporate social responsibility initiatives as indirect advertising.

“Donations to schools, churches and community groups, though framed as goodwill, are embedding unhealthy products into trusted social spaces. These tactics echo strategies once used by tobacco companies,” Oluwafemi said.

Assistant Executive Director, Zikora Ibeh, warned that children are deliberately targeted through what she described as “pester power.”

“Industries use children to pressure parents into buying unhealthy products. Bright packaging, promotions and linking sugary drinks to fun activities are shaping children’s preferences early,” she said.

Industry Monitoring Officer, Humphrey Ukeaja, stressed that non-communicable diseases now affect nearly every Nigerian family.
“This is a collective fight. Hypertension, stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes are rising, and festive marketing acts as a risk multiplier at a time when consumption is already high,” he stated.
CAPPA said Nigeria’s weak regulatory environment allows harmful marketing practices to thrive and called for urgent reforms, including legally binding restrictions on the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of unhealthy foods, especially during festive periods.
The group also recommended a ban on branded CSR activities, limits on outdoor advertising density, stricter regulation of festive giveaways and price promotions, a strengthened sugar-sweetened beverage tax set at 50 per cent of retail price, mandatory front-of-pack warning labels, and tougher enforcement by regulatory agencies.
Beyond government action, CAPPA urged Nigerians to read labels, reduce sugary drink intake and return to traditional foods that are often healthier and more affordable.
“Festive seasons should not come with hidden health costs,” Oluwafemi said. “Public health must take priority over corporate profit. Nigeria must reclaim its food environment and protect its people from preventable disease.”