Nigeria's Salt Consumption: Experts Warn of Alarming Link to Hypertension, Kidney Disease

 Nigeria's Salt Consumption: Experts Warn of Alarming Link to Hypertension, Kidney Disease

Media workshop urges urgent sodium reduction as ultra-processed foods fuel rise in deadly non-communicable diseases

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  Health experts have sounded the alarm over Nigeria’s rising salt consumption, warning that the country is facing a public health crisis driven by excessive sodium intake, which is fueling hypertension, kidney disease, and other life-threatening conditions.

The warning came during a one-day media workshop on sodium reduction, organised by the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI) in Abuja on Tuesday.

Speaking at the event, Bukola Olukemi-Odele, Programme Lead for Cardiovascular Health at the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), revealed that Nigerians are consuming more than twice the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended daily salt limit of five grams — roughly one teaspoon.

“The average Nigerian consumes between 2.8 to 10 grams of salt daily,” she said. “Most of this sodium is ‘hidden’ in processed foods, restaurant meals, street snacks, and additives like MSG and preservatives.”

Olukemi-Odele explained that while sodium plays important physiological roles in small amounts (200–500 milligrams daily), excessive intake is strongly linked to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease and stroke.

She also lamented the steady replacement of traditional Nigerian diets with ultra-processed, convenience foods due to urbanisation, aggressive marketing, and time constraints — a shift she described as a major threat to national health.

Salt and the Burden of NCDs

Globally, NCDs such as hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease account for the majority of adult deaths — a trend now firmly taking root in Nigeria. Experts say high salt intake is a leading cause, as it elevates blood pressure, damages blood vessels, and places immense strain on the heart and kidneys.

The WHO estimates that reducing sodium intake by just 30 per cent could prevent millions of deaths worldwide.

In Nigeria, the growing popularity of ultra-processed and ready-to-eat foods rich in hidden salts is worsening the health outlook. Such diets, experts say, are setting up many Nigerians for lifelong health problems that are costly to manage and often fatal.

Government Response

Femi Stephen, Food Safety Lead at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, noted that high sodium intake remains a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in the country.

He stressed the need for full implementation of existing guidelines to reduce salt in food production and promote healthier diets.

Supporting the call, food science and technology consultant John Tehinse said that over 70 per cent of sodium intake in Nigeria comes from industrially processed and pre-packaged foods such as bread, instant noodles, bouillon cubes, sauces, processed meats, and snacks.

“These are the hidden dangers in our everyday meals,” Tehinse warned, noting that they are among the biggest contributors to rising cases of hypertension and other diet-related illnesses.

Media’s Role in the Fight

In her welcome address, Executive Director of CCSI, Babafunke Fagbemi, described sodium as a “silent killer” behind the NCD burden facing the country.

Represented by Oluseyi Akintola, Head of Programmes at CCSI, Fagbemi said the workshop aimed to equip journalists with up-to-date science, data, and storytelling tools to craft cross-cultural messages that resonate with the public and encourage sodium reduction.