Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has sounded a strong warning over what it describes as the “unhealthy food hijack” of festive periods in Nigeria, calling for urgent government action to curb aggressive marketing by food and beverage giants.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, also urged citizens to take deliberate steps to protect themselves from diet-related diseases.

Oluwafemi presented 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.

According to the report, festive seasons have become high-impact windows for promoting sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods, especially within low-income communities.

Between late November 2025 and early January 2026, CAPPA monitored malls, markets, parks, transport hubs, places of worship, and digital platforms. What emerged, Oluwafemi said, was not innocent celebration but a “deliberate market expansion strategy” that linked 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 to normalise frequent consumption of products high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.

Beyond regulation, CAPPA emphasised that people have a role to play in protecting themselves. Assistant Executive Director Zikora Ibeh explained how industries exploit “pester power,” using children to pressure parents into buying unhealthy products. She urged Nigerians to question what they consume, read labels, reduce sugary drinks, and return to traditional, local foods that are often healthier and more affordable.

CAPPA is also working with groups like the National Orientation Agency, youth networks, community organisations, and regulators such as NAFDAC to monitor the food industry, report harmful products, and push for enforcement of existing laws. Industry Monitoring Officer Humphrey Ukeaja stressed that non-communicable diseases now touch nearly every Nigerian family, making this a collective fight.

Ultimately, CAPPA’s message is simple but powerful: protecting public health is everyone’s responsibility. From policymakers enforcing strong regulations, to communities rejecting unhealthy norms, to individuals making informed choices, all hands must be on deck to curb the harmful influence of big food industries and secure a healthier future for Nigeria.

A key concern raised was the use of corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a marketing tool. Donations to schools, churches, and community groups, though framed as goodwill, were described as indirect advertising that embeds unhealthy products into trusted social spaces, echoing tactics once used by tobacco companies.

CAPPA warned that these practices have serious public health consequences. Nigeria is already grappling with rising cases of hypertension, stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes, while access to affordable care remains limited. Festive marketing, the group said, acts as a “risk multiplier,” reinforcing harmful dietary habits at a time when consumption is already high. Children and young people are particularly vulnerable, with their preferences “engineered” through pester power, bright packaging, and conditional access to fun activities tied to sugary drinks.

In response, CAPPA issued a clear call to action. It urged the Federal Government to introduce legally binding restrictions on the advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of unhealthy foods, especially during festive periods. The group also called for a ban on branded CSR activities, limits on outdoor advertising density, and stricter regulation of festive giveaways and price promotions.

Other recommendations include a strengthened sugar-sweetened beverage tax set at 50 per cent of the retail price, mandatory front-of-pack warning labels, and robust enforcement by regulatory agencies.

Beyond the government, CAPPA stressed that Nigerians themselves have a role to play by questioning marketing messages, choosing traditional and healthier foods, and resisting the normalisation of sugary drinks as symbols of enjoyment.

“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.”