The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has intensified efforts to reduce salt consumption across Nigeria, launching a nationwide campaign aimed at tackling the rising prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
Hypertension is a major public health crisis in Nigeria, with an estimated prevalence ranging from 22 percent to over 40 percent among adults, totaling millions of cases. A 2020 study estimated an age-standardized prevalence of 38.1 percent, with higher rates in the South-East (52.8 percent) compared to the North-Central zone (20.9 percent). Awareness, treatment, and control rates are generally low, with some reports showing that only 29 percent are aware of their condition and as few as three percent have it controlled.
Partnering with the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), the initiative combines grassroots market activations with social media engagement to address what health officials describe as a silent public health crisis.