Less salt, longer lives: Nigeria’s push for a healthier future

Less salt, longer lives: Nigeria’s push for a healthier future

By Franca Ofili, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Excessive salt consumption is a major risk factor for hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), adults should limit their sodium intake to less than two grams per day.

However, many Nigerians exceed this recommended amount, primarily due to the high sodium content in processed and packaged foods.

Reducing salt intake has proven health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Notably, while WHO recommends less than two grams of sodium (equivalent to five grams of salt) per day, data shows that Nigerians consume an average of 7 to 9 grams of salt daily.

This is well above the global recommendation.

This intake level is comparable to the average in sub-Saharan Africa and higher in countries like the United States, where the average salt intake is about 8.5 grams per day.

In the United Kingdom, it is around 7.5 grams.

Health analysts believe that by choosing a low-sodium diet, individuals can also lower their risk of developing other health conditions such as kidney disease and osteoporosis.

According to them, there are several strategies that individuals can adopt to reduce their salt intake.

For example, they can read food labels, opt for low-sodium products, and season meals with herbs and spices instead of salt.

In addition, food manufacturers can contribute by reformulating recipes and using alternative seasonings to lower sodium content.

Also, government policy can support these efforts by enforcing sodium limits in processed foods, requiring clear sodium labelling on packaging, and promoting public awareness campaigns about the dangers of excessive salt consumption.

To this end, a Non-Governmental Organisation recently held a roundtable discussion on advancing Nigeria’s healthy food policy agenda.

The theme was: “Empowering Media to Advance Sodium Reduction and Front-of-Pack Labelling for a Healthier Nigeria”.

Dr Emmanuel Sokpo, Country Director of the Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), said the country faces an alarming burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

They include hypertension, heart disease, and stroke, with excessive salt consumption being a major contributor.

“Research shows that many packaged and processed foods consumed by Nigerians far exceed safe sodium levels,” he said.

He also noted that the absence of clear front-of-pack food labels prevents consumers from making informed choices.

“Our food environment is flooded with invisible risks,” Sokpo added, stressing that the media must not only raise awareness but also advocate for actionable solutions to protect public health.

He therefore called on journalists to produce impactful stories on nutrition, consumer rights, and corporate responsibility in the food industry.

Also speaking, Joy Amafah, Country Coordinator at the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, observed a shift in Nigerian dietary habits from traditional, healthier meals to highly processed and ultra-processed products (UPPs).

These products, she noted, are often low in nutrition and high in harmful components like salt, sugar, and trans fats.

She criticised their aggressive marketing and advertising, linking these practices to the rise in NCDs in Nigeria and across Africa.

As a result, Amafah advocated stronger policy interventions, including Nutrition Profile Modelling (NPM), Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPWL), and sodium reduction strategies.

“The media plays a critical role in creating the awareness needed to drive these policy changes,” she said.

Similarly, Dr Joseph Ekio, a public health practitioner and global health researcher, warned that NCDs and poor diets are rapidly worsening in Nigeria, affecting individuals, families, and the economy.

“The rising prevalence of NCDs is crippling our already strained healthcare system and worsening the country’s economic outlook,” he said.

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Consequently, he called for immediate, multi-sectoral interventions.

Ekio reiterated that excessive sodium intake greatly contributes to elevated blood pressure, a major cause of cardiovascular diseases.

“As it stands today, cardiovascular diseases, along with cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory illnesses, make up the majority of NCD cases. NCDs have become the leading cause of disease and death globally,” he said.

He added that low and middle-income countries like Nigeria bear a disproportionate share of the NCD burden, underscoring the need for urgent intervention.

“Excessive salt intake falls under unhealthy diets, so it is imperative to take action on salt reduction. There can be no effective intervention without policy.

“All hands must be on deck to address this issue comprehensively,” he said.

He also highlighted the role of the media in raising awareness, educating the public, and promoting behavioural change.

“It is not just about passing pro-health and pro-poor regulations; there must be political will to implement and sustain them. Results take time and require consistent effort,” he said.

Furthermore, Ekio pointed out that salt consumption often begins at home, with many individuals unaware of government dietary guidelines.

“The value of awareness and health education cannot be overemphasised. For behavioural change to happen, the public must repeatedly hear the right message.

“The key is not to eliminate salt entirely, but to reduce its intake. Salt is essential for the body, but moderation is crucial,” he added.

In the same vein, Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), urged media practitioners to bring food policy issues into mainstream discourse.

“Nutrition stories are not just lifestyle features; they are stories of justice, survival, and the right to health. The media must frame them as such,” he stated.

Oluwatoyin Adeomi, NHED Programme Officer, emphasised that Nigeria is facing a double burden of malnutrition and diet-related NCDs.

She explained that excessive sodium intake remains a leading cause of hypertension and heart disease, yet consumers still lack access to clear and truthful nutrition information.

Accordingly, she noted that policy efforts are aligning to address both supply and demand through industry reformulation and informed consumer choices.

“The goal is to reduce population-wide sodium intake and contribute to the prevention and control of NCDs in Nigeria.

“Immediate 15 per cent reduction of sodium within the first two years of regulation approval (2026–2028), and an additional 15 per cent reduction (2029–2030),” she explained.

Adeomi said the new guideline sets sodium benchmarks for key food categories such as bread, bouillon cubes, snacks, and instant noodles.

“It supports manufacturers in reformulating products to reduce sodium content. Benchmark targets are aligned with WHO global sodium benchmarks but adapted for Nigeria,” she said.

Moreover, she said stakeholders would provide technical contributions to national healthy food policies, support media awareness, mobilise grassroots support, and monitor implementation.

She stressed that policies must reflect public health interests, and not industry priorities.

Reinforcing this point, Abayomi Sarumi, Associate Director of the Food Justice Programme at CAPPA, said the salt reduction conversation must be media-led.

“People need to understand that excess salt intake is more than just sweaty palms or a risk of hypertension, it’s a serious health threat,” he said.

He added that misinformation, cultural beliefs, and traditional norms often mask the risks, making accurate and consistent media reporting even more essential.

In conclusion, experts agree that cutting down on salt is a simple yet powerful way to improve health and extend life.

All in all, with the right strategies, strong media advocacy, and effective policies, Nigeria can build a healthier food environment that protects the well-being of all citizens. (NANFeatures)