Advocates have raised alarm over Nigeria’s growing salt consumption crisis, calling for stronger public awareness and regulatory action to combat the rising salt crisis.
Speaking at a two-day Salt/Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL) Journalism Training on Industry Interference and Response Building in Port Harcourt, Executive Director of the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, urged Nigerians to reduce salt intake, as national life expectancy is very low.
Represented by CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director, Zikora Ibeh, Oluwafemi noted that Nigeria records one of the lowest life expectancies in the world—54.9 years, largely due to poor dietary habits, including high sodium consumption.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends no more than five grams of salt daily, yet the average Nigerian consumes far more. Most of this salt is hidden in snacks, instant noodles, seasoning cubes, and other pre-packaged foods that dominate urban diets,” he said.
He warned that excessive salt intake raises blood pressure and significantly increases the risk of hypertension, heart attacks, and strokes, diseases that now affect younger populations in Nigeria. He linked the rising cases of sudden deaths, commonly referred to as “slump and die”, to the country’s poor dietary patterns and lack of nutritional awareness.
According to Oluwafemi, Nigeria’s high sodium consumption is part of a global health concern that can be addressed through mandatory salt reduction targets for food manufacturers and the adoption of Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPWL).
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He explained that FOPWLs’ simple visual symbols placed on food packaging help consumers easily identify products high in salt, sugar, or fat, enabling them to make informed dietary choices regardless of literacy level.
Oluwafemi stressed the pivotal role of journalists in countering misinformation and ensuring corporate accountability, urging the media to produce factual, investigative reports that will enable transparency in policymaking.
“Journalists must expose industry interference and help ensure that public debate prioritises citizens’ health over profit,” he emphasised.
Also speaking, Bukola Odele, CAPPA’s Programme Officer for Cardiovascular Health, reiterated the importance of Front-of-Pack Warning Labels and mandatory salt targets as cost-effective policy tools to reduce sodium intake and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
She called for stricter regulation and enforcement of sodium limits in processed products, and mass media campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of excessive salt consumption.
A Public Health Consultant, Dr Joseph Ekiyor, also emphasised that high sodium diets are fueling cases of hypertension and sudden death among young Nigerians. He urged the media to intensify education on healthy eating habits and expose the health risks of processed foods.
The training, organised by CAPPA with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), brought together journalists and health advocates to strengthen evidence-based reporting on nutrition policy, corporate influence, and non-communicable disease prevention.
