CAPPA lauds FG’s food procurement guidelines, urges nationwide implementation

Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has lauded the Federal Government for introducing the National Guidelines for Public Procurement of Food and Related Services, describing the policy as a major step toward improving nutrition and creating healthier food environments in public institutions across Nigeria.

The guidelines, published in December 2025 and officially launched in Abuja on Monday, were developed by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), development partners, professional bodies as well as civil society organisations.

They establish nutrition standards for food purchased with public funds in schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps, orphanages, internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, emergency shelters and other public institutions.

Among the key provisions are restrictions on the procurement, sale and service of sugar-sweetened beverages and drinks containing non-sugar sweeteners in public institutions.

The guidelines also set limits for sodium, saturated fats and trans fats, promote the consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, encourage local sourcing of food, and integrate nutrition and food safety standards into public procurement.

A statement issued by CAPPA says the policy addresses a long-standing gap in Nigeria’s public food procurement system, where cost and convenience have often outweighed nutritional value, leading to the widespread supply of highly processed foods containing excessive sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.

The organisation urged public institutions at all levels to fully implement the guidelines to ensure healthier meals for millions of Nigerians who rely on publicly funded feeding programmes.

Executive Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi, described the guidelines as “a major milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards healthier food environments,” noting that government remains one of the country’s largest purchasers of food.

“Every day, millions of meals are served through schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, NYSC camps, IDP camps and other public institutions. What government chooses to buy inevitably shapes what millions of Nigerians eat. The Guidelines recognise that public procurement is not just another purchasing activity but a powerful public health intervention,” he said.

According to Oluwafemi, the guidelines also prohibit the procurement of partially hydrogenated oils and require food products containing trans fats to have no more than two grams per 100 grams, while manufacturers must declare trans-fat content on product labels.

He also praised the requirement that at least 30 per cent of institutional food procurement budgets be spent on locally grown or produced food supplied by smallholder farmers and community vendors, saying the measure would strengthen local food systems, improve nutrition and support rural livelihoods.

CAPPA noted that the policy aligns Nigeria with global efforts to use public procurement as a tool for preventing diet-related diseases, drawing on the World Health Organization’s Action Framework for Developing and Implementing Public Food Procurement and Service Policies for a Healthy Diet.

While commending the Federal Government and stakeholders involved in developing the guidelines, CAPPA stressed that effective implementation would determine their success.

The group called on the Bureau of Public Procurement to immediately establish the National Food Procurement Oversight Committee, as provided in the guidelines, to monitor compliance, investigate violations and facilitate civil society participation.