Nigerians Consuming Dangerous Levels of Salt
Health experts have warned that excessive salt hidden in processed and packaged foods is contributing to rising cases of hypertension, stroke, heart disease and kidney failure in Nigeria. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday to mark the 2026 World Salt Awareness Week, Dr Emmanuel Sokpo, Country Director of the Network for Health […]
Nigerians Consuming Dangerous Levels of Salt
Health experts have warned that excessive salt hidden in processed and packaged foods is contributing to rising cases of hypertension, stroke, heart disease and kidney failure in Nigeria.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday to mark the 2026 World Salt Awareness Week, Dr Emmanuel Sokpo, Country Director of the Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), said many Nigerians consume dangerous levels of salt daily without knowing.
“It is not just the salt that you consume directly, but also hidden salt that is contained in seasoned foods, noodles, snacks, bread and fast foods,” he said.
Sokpo said reducing salt intake remained one of the simplest ways to prevent avoidable deaths linked to heart-related illnesses.
He called for stronger public awareness, healthier food policies and improved food labelling regulations.
Also speaking, Dr Jerome Mafeni, Technical and Public Health Lead at NHED, described excessive sodium consumption as a growing public health danger.
“Many people do not even know they are living with high blood pressure until serious complications occur,” he said.
Mafeni said consumers were constantly exposed to highly salted processed foods without clear nutritional information.
He noted that reducing salt intake was one of the cheapest and most effective public health measures for reducing cases of hypertension, stroke and cardiovascular diseases.
According to him, Nigeria’s food regulations are not strict enough to compel manufacturers to significantly reduce salt levels in processed foods.
“Our laws have not been sufficiently tightened,” he added.
Mafeni said countries in Europe and the United States enforce stricter limits on salt and sugar content in food products than Nigeria.
“Things that are very salty tend to sell faster because we have acquired a taste for salty foods,” he noted.
He also said regulatory agencies required stronger funding, laboratories and personnel to effectively enforce food standards.
Mafeni disclosed that the federal government was considering front-of-pack warning labels for products with excessive salt, sugar and fat content.
“The federal government is moving into starting new initiatives where large warning signs will be placed on the front of packs,” he explained.
A representative of the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, Bukola Olukemi Odele, Programme Officer, speaking on behalf of the Executive Director, called for stronger food policies and regulations to protect consumers.
The group urged the federal government to finalise regulations that would reduce sodium levels in processed and prepackaged foods.
It also called for warning labels on food products and restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children and adolescents.
The briefing was organised by Network for Health Equity and Development alongside partners under the Coalition for Healthy Food Advocacy.