Medical experts and health advocates have warned that excessive sodium intake is the leading risk factor for hypertension and heart disease, driving a surge in stroke cases and complicating other non-communicable diseases.
The experts also expressed concern that consumers lack clear and truthful nutritional information about sodium to guide their intake across all food categories, particularly as many packaged food products exceed safe sodium levels for human consumption.
They called on the Nigerian government to accelerate policies on clear front-of-pack warning labels to help consumers make informed dietary choices.
The call was made at a media roundtable in Abuja, where the Network for Health Equity and Development, NHED, in partnership with the Global Health Advocacy Incubator and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, brought together journalists to examine the National Sodium Reduction Guidelines and the risks of high-salt diets.
“High sodium in the blood spikes the pressure and aggravates cardiovascular diseases,” said Dr Joseph Ekiyor, an emergency room physician and health researcher.
Dr Ekiyor clarified that the call is not for the complete elimination of salt from diets, but for a more restrained approach to intake. “We’re not saying avoid it completely. Salt is essential to the body, but reduce what you’re currently taking.”
His position aligns with data from the World Health Organization, WHO, which indicates that around 1.6 million lives could be saved globally each year if sodium intake were reduced by at least 30 per cent.
“Processed and store-bought food, from bread to beverages, often contains hidden sodium. Even beer contains sodium additives like sodium benzoate. People need to know this,” Ekiyor insisted.
Making a case for sodium reduction and front-of-pack warning labels, food scientist John Tehinse said the government must be held accountable for bringing this information to the public.
“The solution starts with policy, backed by political will,” he said. “We need sustained awareness, and the media has a crucial role to play.”
He noted that manufacturers must now operate within safe limits and ensure that front-of-pack warning labels are provided to inform Nigerians of the nutrient content of food products, allowing them to easily identify items high in salt and sugar.
Tehinse, a member of the Nigerian Sodium Reduction Technical Working Group, noted that the national target is to reduce salt in processed foods by 15 per cent by 2026 and 30 per cent by 2030.
“We have identified 34 priority food categories and are working with industries to reformulate products to reduce salt content. We also studied our local food habits, bread, bacon, and processed meats that Nigerians consume a lot. We are not saying stop eating them, but be conscious,” Tehinse said.
Re-echoing the alarm, the Country Director of NHED, Dr Emmanuel Sokpo, warned that the Nigerian food environment is flooded with invisible risks.
“The media must spotlight these issues, not just for awareness, but to push for solutions that protect the health of Nigerians,” he said.
The country coordinator for the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Joy Amafah, emphasised the need for policy intervention to address gaps in nutrition profile modelling, front-of-pack warning labels, and sodium reduction strategies.
She said Nigeria’s rise in sodium-related diseases began when, due to modernisation, many people shifted from traditional, nutrient-rich diets to ultra-processed products, resulting in a growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
“We are now consuming more products with minimal nutritional value and high salt, sugar, and trans fats, driven by aggressive marketing. The media must expose this,” she said.
