CAPPA Calls For Emergency Action As Diabetes Deaths Surge In Nigeria
With diabetes quietly tightening its grip on Nigerian households, health advocates say the country is on the brink of a preventable public health disaster.
As the world marks World Diabetes Day, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has backed the Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN) in urging the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on diabetes care.
In a statement on Friday, CAPPA described as “alarming” the revelation that an estimated 30,000 Nigerians die annually from diabetes, while 11.4 million others are living with the disease, far higher than global estimates.
The organisation expressed concern that the average monthly cost of managing diabetes has soared to between ₦100,000 and ₦120,000, putting lifesaving care far beyond the reach of most citizens.
“This is yet another troubling reflection of Nigeria’s noncommunicable disease burden,” CAPPA warned, noting that this crisis contributes to the country’s status as having one of the lowest life expectancies globally, according to recent UN health reports.
The group said the soaring cases of diabetes, coupled with the widespread consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), demand urgent and sweeping policy measures.
CAPPA strongly supported calls for a significant increase in the SSB tax, with all proceeds channelled directly into strengthening the health sector.
Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of CAPPA, argued that sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods are reshaping dietary habits in harmful ways, with aggressive marketing pushing consumers, especially young people, towards unhealthy options.
“Without decisive intervention, generations risk becoming dependent on high-sugar products, fuelling obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and premature death,” he said.
CAPPA reiterated its advocacy for an SSB tax of at least ₦130 per litre, alongside mandatory front-of-pack labelling, sodium reduction policies, and curbs on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children.
These measures, the body noted, are globally recognised tools for reducing noncommunicable diseases.
The group also welcomed ongoing government efforts to funnel taxes from harmful products such as tobacco and alcohol into health financing, stressing that predictable funding is essential as more families face financial ruin due to soaring treatment costs.
This year’s World Health Organisation theme, “Diabetes Across Life Stages,” underscores that the disease affects people at every point in life, including pregnancy, making the need for action even more urgent.
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