Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Thursday reiterated its support for the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)’s ongoing development of regulations aimed at protecting public health, as stakeholders rally behind sodium reduction policies.
CAPPA’s executive director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, gave the assurance during a stakeholders’ engagement on proposed regulations to reduce sodium in pre-packaged foods.
A press statement issued by the Media and Communications Officer of CAPPA, Robert Egbe, congratulated NAFDAC’s director-general, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye on the successes recorded under her leadership.
The statement assured that CAPPA would continue to support the agency’s public health mandate.
Akinbode also assured NAFDAC of their commitment to advocacy that strengthens public health, adding that they will stand with NAFDAC and will continue to do so as he takes difficult but necessary decisions to protect the health of Nigerians.
In her welcome address, NAFDAC’s DG, Prof. Adeyeye, said the engagement underscored the agency’s shared commitment with stakeholders to safeguarding public health and strengthening Nigeria’s food regulatory framework.
“As you are aware, diet-related non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and stroke are on the rise globally and within Nigeria.
“Excessive sodium intake has been identified as one of the leading dietary risk factors contributing to these conditions,” she said.
Speaking on the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, NHED’s Technical Advisor, Dr. Jerome Mafeni, warned that Nigeria is witnessing increasing incidences among younger populations, posing a significant threat to the country’s future.
In 2025, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMOH&SW) launched the National Sodium Reduction Guideline, to set mandatory sodium limits in processed and pre-packaged foods.
