FG, states urged to prioritise healthy food policies in fight against cancer
As the world marks World Cancer Day 2025, the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has tasked both federal and state governments to develop and implement comprehensive healthy food policies to reduce the exposure of Nigerians to ultra-processed foods, tobacco, excessive sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and salt consumption, all of which constitute high-risk factors driving […]
cancer
As the world marks World Cancer Day 2025, the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has tasked both federal and state governments to develop and implement comprehensive healthy food policies to reduce the exposure of Nigerians to ultra-processed foods, tobacco, excessive sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and salt consumption, all of which constitute high-risk factors driving the country’s alarming cancer burden and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
CAPPA’s Executive Director Akinbode Oluwafemi, on Thursday in a statement said that creating healthy food environments backed by effective regulations that enable healthy dietary decisions is a priority for tackling cancer-risk factors and NCDs.
He noted that cancer has remained a major public health issue in Nigeria, with an increasing number of new cases and deaths. Nigeria records over 120,000 new cases of cancer annually, according to the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, while the National Cancer Prevention and Control Plan (2018-2022) estimates that Nigerians spend N12bn annually on cancer treatment.
“These figures, according to the not-for-profit, underscore the urgent need for a multifaceted-policy approach and preventive measures to address the avoidable risk factors contributing to the country’s cancer as well as the NCD crisis,” Oluwafemi said.
He urged the government to, in particular, amongst other pro-public-health tailored actions, implement and enforce healthy food policies such as the implementation of national guidelines to reduce salt consumption, as well as an upward review of the SSB Tax rate from the current N10 to N130 to achieve a substantial increase in the final retail prices of sugary drinks. curb excessive consumption and generate revenue for health interventions in line with global best practices.
He also urged the government to strictly regulate novel tobacco products, which are increasingly targeted at young people and to allocate more resources to the tobacco control fund to enhance enforcement efforts and public awareness campaigns.
He noted that while tobacco use remains the leading cause of cancer and cancer-related deaths worldwide, SSBs, on the other hand, are associated with a heightened risk of obesity-related cancers, such as kidney and colon cancers. Similarly, high salt intake is linked to an increased risk of stomach cancer and other health complications.