Stakeholders have attributed the steady increase in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), including Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension, obesity, stroke, kidney disease, and cardiovascular complications, to the excessive consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs). This was the central theme at the media presentation of the documentary Sweet Poison in Lagos.
CAPPA Calls for Tax Review
In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, reiterated the need for the government to review the current N10 tax per litre of SSB. He noted that the tax was implemented when a 50-litre bottle of soda sold for N100, whereas the same bottle now costs approximately N400. Oluwafemi emphasized that sugary drinks have become deeply embedded in Nigerian daily life, present in homes, schools, markets, offices, and social gatherings, even where clean drinking water is scarce. He pointed out that aggressive advertising, sponsorships, celebrity endorsements, and market penetration by ultra-processed food and beverage corporations have normalized products contributing to a public health crisis.
Expert Opinions on the Crisis
Dr. Adeolu Adebiyi, Regional Senior Advisor for the Food Policy Programme in Africa at the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), stated that the burden of cancer and other NCDs is increasing, prompting critical questions about the food on our tables. He described how 'sweet poison' is often packed in children's lunch boxes as a status symbol, leading to NCDs. Dr. Leslie Adogame, Executive Director of Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development, cited examples of SSB regulation in foreign countries, asserting that government policy can significantly curb fizzy drink consumption.
Sam Eferaro of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) urged the government to stop taxing drugs for NCDs and instead subsidize them to make them affordable, considering the high cost of managing these diseases. Dr. Goke Akinrogunde, Clinical Director of GTAK Health, Ikeja, Lagos, called on everyone to become advocates of healthy living. He noted that while sugar can be poison for some, it can also be a liver saver, emphasizing the importance of knowing one's health status.
CAPPA's Advocacy and Documentary
CAPPA expressed its belief in a higher tax tied to the retail price of sugary drinks, with proper earmarking of such taxes for health promotion and nutrition programmes. Oluwafemi added that they believe Sweet Poison contributes meaningfully to ongoing conversations about healthy food policies, food systems, youth health, environmental justice, and corporate accountability in Nigeria. The screening of the documentary, produced by CAPPA, brought together medical experts, individuals with lived experience, journalists, and other stakeholders to expand the conversation on SSBs and NCDs.
