LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), has issued a startling wake-up call to the Nigerian government, linking the nation’s soaring cancer rates to a “broken food system” and weak tobacco regulations.
In a press statement commemorating World Cancer Day 2026, the advocacy group highlighted a grim reality, Nigeria recorded over 120,000 new cancer cases and 72,000 deaths in the past year alone. CAPPA’s Media Officer, Robert Egbe, emphasized that while genetics play a role, the surge in colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers is increasingly tied to what Nigerians eat and how it is produced.
The organization pointed out several “cracks” in the national health framework, specifically targeting the unrestricted marketing of ultra-processed foods and the excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). To combat this, CAPPA is pushing for an aggressive review of the National Tobacco Control Act and a significant hike in the “Sugar Tax.”
The group urged the government to increase the SSB tax from the current N10 per litre to 50 percent of the final retail price, arguing that “Nigeria cannot treat its way out of the cancer crisis” without focusing on prevention. Beyond the dinner table, the advocacy group is demanding stricter oversight on the tobacco industry, which remains a leading cause of preventable cancer.
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They are calling for an immediate ban on all forms of advertising for emerging nicotine products and an upward review of the tobacco control budget.
“Prevention-focused policies, especially those related to tobacco, food, and alcohol, offer perhaps the biggest and most cost-effective gains,” the statement noted, especially in a health sector struggling with only 40,000 doctors for over 200 million people.
Legislative action remains a priority as CAPPA commends the federal government’s proposal to earmark pro-health taxes specifically for cancer care. By diverting revenue from tobacco and sugary drink taxes into the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, the group believes the government can reduce the crushing out-of-pocket healthcare spending currently burdening Nigerian families.
This year’s theme, “United by Unique” serves as a reminder that personalized care must be matched by a collective effort to fix the environment that causes the disease in the first place. Future survival rates for thousands of Nigerians now hinge on whether the government adopts these mandatory salt targets and nutrition standards in public institutions.
“Nigeria cannot treat its way out of the cancer crisis. Prevention-focused policies, especially those related to tobacco, food, and alcohol, offer perhaps the biggest and most cost-effective gains. When combined with early detection, health financing, and accountability, they can save thousands of lives each year,” CAPPA concluded.
