By JKNewsMedia
UNCHECKED SODIUM consumption is fuelling a surge in life-threatening health conditions in Nigeria, prompting fresh calls on the Federal Government for urgent action to regulate salt levels in processed foods.
The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) is demanding swift government intervention to enforce salt reduction across the country.
As World Salt Awareness Week unfolds from May 12 to 15, the non-governmental organisation drew attention to sobering data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicating that salt overconsumption is a global public health threat, particularly dire in countries like Nigeria.
Despite an international target to cut salt intake by 30 percent by the end of 2025, the likelihood of Nigeria meeting this goal remains slim.
Nigerians are consuming between seven and nine grams of salt daily—well above the WHO’s recommended five-gram limit.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare confirms this excess has dire consequences, linking it to the escalating prevalence of hypertension, kidney failure, stroke and cardiovascular disease.
Health authorities estimate that at least 10 percent of all cardiovascular-related deaths are connected to high sodium intake.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, described the health burden as unsustainable and called for stronger regulatory measures.
He reiterated support for the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction introduced by the Federal Ministry, urging more backing for the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) as it drafts enforceable regulations.
The NGO criticised changing consumer habits and aggressive marketing tactics by food manufacturers, arguing these shifts are promoting diets high in salt, sugar and harmful fats.
It called for mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on packaged foods, alongside reforms requiring manufacturers to reduce salt in their products without compromising taste or quality.
CAPPA’s statement highlighted the urgency of implementing these measures as Nigeria battles an epidemic of noncommunicable diseases now overwhelming the health sector.
With over 35 percent of Nigerian adults living with hypertension, the group stressed that dietary reform is no longer optional but essential.
CAPPA notes that the World Salt Awareness Week, holding from May 12 to 18, serves as a global call to action for healthier eating and robust national policies to limit salt in everyday diets.
