Consumer Rights Day: Advocates push for stronger food labelling, salt regulations

Stanley Ihedigbo

Civil society organisations have called on the Nigerian government to introduce stricter regulations on salt content and improve food labelling in order to protect consumers from rising diet-related diseases.

The call was made in a joint statement issued on Sunday by the Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) to commemorate World Consumer Rights Day, marked annually on March 15.

The global observance this year carries the theme “Safe products, confident consumers.”

According to the coalition, Nigeria is currently grappling with a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), noting that about 29 percent of all deaths in the country are now linked to conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, and kidney failure.

They warned that excessive salt consumption is a major contributor to this health crisis, with the average Nigerian reportedly consuming up to 10 grams of salt daily, nearly double the recommended daily intake of five grams set by the World Health Organization.

The organisations stressed that consumers have the right to know the nutritional composition of the food products they purchase and consume.

They therefore called for the introduction of mandatory front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) on all processed and pre-packaged foods to help Nigerians make informed dietary decisions.

According to the groups, most nutritional information is currently buried in technical details printed at the back of food packages, making it difficult for consumers to understand and exposing them to misleading marketing claims by some food manufacturers.

“Consumers cannot be confident about the products they buy if critical nutrition information is hidden or difficult to understand,” the coalition said.

They acknowledged the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for launching the National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction in 2025, but urged the government to go beyond guidelines by introducing enforceable regulations that will compel food manufacturers to reduce salt levels in their products.

The groups also noted that many commonly consumed processed foods, including noodles, bread, bouillon cubes, snacks, frozen foods, and salad dressings, contain high levels of salt that are often not easily identified by consumers due to complex or poorly visible nutrition labels.

They explained that front-of-pack warning labels, which display simple and visible symbols on food packages, have proven effective in many countries in helping consumers quickly identify products that are high in salt, sugar, or unhealthy fats.

The coalition further stressed that food safety should not only focus on contamination but also address nutritional safety.

“When foods contain dangerously high levels of salt without clear warnings, consumers are denied their right to make informed choices about their health,” the statement added.

The organisations therefore urged relevant regulatory bodies, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council, and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, to collaborate in implementing mandatory salt targets and front-of-pack warning labels on food products.
They also recommended restricting the marketing of ultra-processed foods to children, strengthening monitoring and enforcement mechanisms for food manufacturers, and scaling up public awareness campaigns on healthy dietary habits.

According to the coalition, these measures are consistent with global best practices and will help Nigeria meet its national target of reducing salt intake by 30 percent by the year 2030.

The groups reaffirmed their readiness to work with government agencies, public health experts, and civil society organisations to promote policies that support healthier food environments.

“Protecting consumers means ensuring that the food sold in our markets supports health rather than undermines it,” the coalition stated. “Policies that promote salt reduction and transparent food labelling are cost-effective tools for safeguarding the health of millions of Nigerians.”

They also urged consumers to pay closer attention to food labels and demand healthier products from manufacturers.

The statement was jointly signed by the three organisations, which reiterated that prioritising public health over the profit interests of the ultra-processed food industry is essential for building a healthier nation.