The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has stressed the need for intensified media advocacy to drive effective regulatory policies in Nigeria’s public health sector.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, made the call at a two-day workshop for journalists held in Port Harcourt on Wednesday. The workshop, themed “Salt/FOPL Journalism Training on Industry Interference and Response Building,” was organised in partnership with Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Network for Health Equity and Development, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Center for Communications and Social Impact, and the University of Abuja.
Represented by CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director, Zikora Ibeh, Oluwafemi noted that the training aimed to equip journalists to educate the public on the dangers of excessive salt consumption.
“Nigerians consume far more salt than the World Health Organization’s recommended daily limit of five grams, much of it hidden in processed foods,” he said. “There is a need to implement mandatory salt targets for processed and pre-packaged foods, alongside front-of-pack labels to empower healthier food choices.”
Speaking on “Effective Use of Media for Public Health Advocacy and Policy Change,” Oluwafemi highlighted that sustained media engagement, coalition-building, and regular training can lead to positive policy reforms. He cited successful campaigns such as Smoke-Free Nollywood, Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax Campaign, and Salt Reduction Campaign as examples of how strategic media work has driven public health policy victories in Nigeria.
“Coordinated media advocacy across multiple platforms is crucial for policy reform and improved public health outcomes,” he added.
CAPPA Media Officer, Mr. Robert Egbe, encouraged journalists to maintain professionalism and ethics, particularly when monitoring industry practices and reporting in the public interest. Speaking on “Media Accountability as a Tool for Industry Monitoring and Public Interest Reporting,” Egbe stressed the importance of accuracy, fairness, transparency, and commitment to public welfare in journalism.
“Accountable journalism investigates and exposes industry tactics that undermine public health policies, tracks corporate compliance, and educates the public on critical health issues,” he said. He urged stakeholders to implement key initiatives such as the Sodium Reduction Target and Front-of-Pack Labelling programs to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases.
Participants at the workshop called on government at all levels to strengthen regulatory agencies, establish state enforcement mechanisms, and enact stringent environmental and consumer protection laws to safeguard public health.
