Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has launched a documentary warning that sugary drinks are driving a rising public health and environmental crisis in Nigeria.
The film, Sweet Poison, was screened in Lagos and highlights links between sugar-sweetened beverages and increasing cases of diabetes, obesity, and other non-communicable diseases.
CAPPA Executive Director Akinbode Oluwafemi said Nigeria must adopt stronger fiscal measures to curb consumption.
“We need stronger taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages to reduce diabetes and obesity,” Oluwafemi said. “The current system is not enough to address the scale of the problem.”
He also raised concerns about environmental damage, warning that plastic waste from beverage packaging is worsening pollution across communities.
“The impact is not only health-related, it is also environmental,” he said.
The Global Health Advocacy Incubator’s Regional Senior Advisor for Africa, Adeolu Adebiyi, said the crisis cuts across sectors.
“This is both a public health and environmental challenge,” Adebiyi said.
Medical experts also backed tighter regulation.
Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr Saheed Babajide Kehinde warned that excessive sugar intake increases the risk of serious complications.
“It can lead to blindness, heart disease, amputations and other complications,” Saheed said. “Sugar should be regulated, but not completely demonised. Moderation is key.”
He urged government action to reduce consumption and protect vulnerable populations, especially those at risk of diabetes.
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