Health experts have sounded the alarm over Nigeria’s growing intake of salt and sodium-rich foods, warning that it is fuelling a surge in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, kidney damage, and cardiovascular disorders.
They called for urgent, coordinated efforts to reduce sodium intake nationwide to avert a looming public health crisis.
This warning came during a one-day media workshop held in Abuja, organised by the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI).
The training session brought together journalists, nutrition advocates, and health professionals to discuss sodium reduction strategies and equip the media with evidence-based information and storytelling techniques to promote healthier food choices.
The Executive Director of CCSI, Babafunke Fagbemi, emphasised the need for a paradigm shift in how Nigerians approach food, particularly sodium consumption.
Fagbemi, who was represented by the Head of Programmes at CCSI, Oluseyi Akintola, pointed out that excessive sodium intake has become a silent but deadly driver of non-communicable diseases across the country.
“Excessive sodium consumption is a silent contributor to the range of non-communicable diseases affecting the health and well-being of Nigerians,” she noted in her welcome address.
On her part, Programme Lead for Cardiovascular Health at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Bukola Olukemi-Odele, presented data on current sodium consumption patterns among Nigerians.
She explained that while sodium is an essential nutrient required in small amounts between 200 and 500 milligrams per day, most Nigerians consume it in dangerously high quantities.
“The average Nigerian consumes between 2.8g and 10g of salt per day, more than double the World Health Organisation’s recommended limit of 5g, which is just about one level teaspoon of salt,” she said.
Olukemi-Odele further warned that a large portion of this sodium intake is not from table salt but from less obvious sources embedded in modern food culture.
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“Most sodium consumed today is ‘hidden’ in processed foods, restaurant meals, street food, and food additives such as MSG and preservatives,” she explained.
She lamented the shift from traditional diets to highly processed foods, a trend driven by urbanisation, aggressive marketing, and time constraints.
“The traditional Nigerian diet is being overtaken by ultra-processed and convenience foods due to urbanisation, aggressive food marketing, and busy lifestyles, but this trend is threatening our public health.
“While sodium plays important roles in maintaining blood pressure, nerve function, and fluid balance, excess intake is strongly linked to hypertension, stroke, kidney damage, and premature death from heart disease,” she added.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare affirmed that it is actively addressing the problem through policy and education.
Femi Stephen, Food Safety Lead at the Ministry, explained that the health impacts of excessive sodium consumption are long-lasting and financially draining for affected families.
“Excessive sodium intake contributes to hypertension, a major risk factor for stroke and other cardiovascular diseases,” he said.
Stephen disclosed that the ministry had developed and begun implementing the National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction as a tool to combat these health threats.
“Part of what we want to do in implementing the National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction is to pass this knowledge down to everybody in the country, particularly those who are vulnerable, those who are already suffering from cardiovascular issues, and those who have not started suffering from it.
“We need to stop them because these cardiovascular issues are lifelong battles; they are not like malaria, where you take a drug one day and you’re okay.
“It changes the dynamics of finances in every family, the economic dynamics in every household,” Stephen stressed.
He noted that the success of this national guideline hinges on effective public awareness and multi-stakeholder cooperation, including strong media participation.
Echoing similar sentiments, a food science and technology consultant with the Nigeria Health and Environmental Development (NHED), John Tehinse, drew attention to the role of the processed food industry in Nigeria’s escalating health crisis.
“Evidence from Nigeria shows more than 70 per cent of sodium intake comes from industrially processed, pre-packaged, and ready-to-eat foods such as bread, instant noodles, bouillon cubes, sauces, processed meats, and snacks,” he said.
Tehinse pointed out that these ultra-processed foods are not only accessible and affordable but are now embedded in daily consumption habits, making them major contributors to the country’s rising rates of heart disease and hypertension.
“Processed and pre-packaged foods are major contributors to cardiovascular risks in Nigeria,” he added.
The stakeholders made a strong call to action for the media to use their platforms to educate the public about the hidden risks of sodium-rich diets, promote healthier alternatives, and hold food industry players accountable for transparency in food labelling and formulation.
The participants agreed that reversing the current trend requires collaboration between the government, civil society, media, and the private sector to promote a healthier, more informed food culture in Nigeria.
