As the world marks World Salt Awareness Week, a non-governmental organization, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), has sounded the alarm on the alarming rate of salt consumption in Nigeria.
According to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Nigerians consume between 7-9 grams of salt daily, far exceeding the World Health Organisation’s recommended limit of 5 grams.
This excessive salt intake has been linked to the rising prevalence of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and kidney failure in the country.
In fact, over 35 percent of adult Nigerians are now living with hypertension, a burden that is taking a toll on the health sector.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, has called on the Federal Government to accelerate the formulation of regulations for enforcing salt targets in processed and packaged foods. “
This is too heavy a burden for the health sector to bear, and the issue is a major contributor to Nigeria’s alarming burden of non-communicable diseases,” Oluwafemi said.
The World Health Organisation has set a target to reduce the global population’s intake of salt by 30 percent by the end of this year.
However, most countries, including Nigeria, are unlikely to meet this deadline.
CAPPA has expressed support for the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction recently launched by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The organization has also urged the Ministry to ramp up support to the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which is drafting regulations to enforce salt targets.
As Robert Egbe, Media & Communications Officer at CAPPA, notes, “Cultural practices, rapid urbanization, deceptive marketing, and changing lifestyles are tilting Nigerians’ dietary patterns towards ultra-processed foods high in sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats.”
Egbe emphasizes the need for mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on food packages and compels manufacturers to reformulate their recipes to reduce salt content without compromising quality.
The World Salt Awareness Week, observed from May 12th to 18th, aims to raise awareness about the impact of excess salt intake on health and promote healthy dietary habits.
As Nigeria grapples with the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, it is imperative that the government takes bold action to address the issue of excessive salt consumption.
