“This excess sugar is dangerous… It causes a sudden rise and crash in blood sugar levels, leading to fatigue, mood swings, and serious health problems,”
Nigeria faces a rising tide of chronic diseases linked to excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), health advocate Abayomi Sarumi has warned.
In an interview with Daily Post, Sarumi, Associate Director at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, said sugary drinks are silently driving obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
“SSBs are drinks that contain added sugars… sodas, fruit drinks, energy drinks, and sports drinks,” he explained. “These drinks are full of sugar and give the body far more energy than it needs.”
Citing data, he said Nigeria consumed over 54 billion litres of SSBs in 2024 alone.
“This excess sugar is dangerous… It causes a sudden rise and crash in blood sugar levels, leading to fatigue, mood swings, and serious health problems,” Sarumi said.
He urged stronger SSB taxes and clearer food labels, adding: “A good SSB tax should not only reduce intake but also fund healthcare and public education.”
He warned that over 30% of deaths in Nigeria are now caused by noncommunicable diseases.