According to the Coalition for Healthy Food Advocacy and the National Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Tax Coalition (NSSBTC), about 30 percent of Nigeria’s estimated population of over 220 million people—roughly 65 to 70 million individuals—are currently living with hypertension, a condition largely linked to diet and lifestyle.
The warning was delivered on Wednesday in Abuja at a press briefing themed “Drawing Attention to Public Health Dangers of Fortifying Ultra-Processed Foods,” where experts also cautioned against the government’s growing reliance on processed food products for nutrition fortification strategies.
‘Nigeria Already Consuming Dangerous Levels of Salt’
Technical Adviser at the Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), Dr. Jerome Mafeni, cautioned that Nigeria’s dietary environment is already heavily skewed toward excessive sodium intake, particularly from processed seasonings and packaged foods.
“Nigeria is already consuming nearly double the recommended daily sodium intake,” he said. “Promoting products that significantly contribute to excess salt consumption as part of a nutrition solution is a contradiction.”
He argued that while micronutrient fortification is often presented as a public health intervention, applying it to unhealthy food vehicles such as high-sodium seasoning cubes may worsen existing health challenges rather than solve them.
Mafeni further warned that fortification does not neutralise the harmful effects of ultra-processed foods, stressing that increased consumption of such products could deepen Nigeria’s non-communicable disease crisis.
Hypertension and Heart Disease on the Rise
Echoing similar concerns, Prof. Dike Ojji of the Cardiovascular Research Unit at the University of Abuja estimated that hypertension now affects between 25 and 30 percent of Nigerians, with dietary habits playing a central role.
“Much of this is linked to high salt intake and the growing consumption of ultra-processed foods,” he said.
Ojji added that cardiovascular diseases already account for about 10 to 11 percent of deaths in Nigeria, warning that the country’s fragile health system may struggle to cope with the rising burden of chronic illnesses.
‘Health Halo’ Concerns Over Fortified Processed Foods
Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, warned that fortifying ultra-processed foods could mislead consumers into believing such products are healthy.
“Fortifying ultra-processed foods creates a ‘health halo,’ giving the impression that such products are healthy, even when they are high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats,” he said.
The coalition argued that while food fortification has helped address micronutrient deficiencies in many countries, its success depends heavily on choosing appropriate food vehicles—preferably natural or minimally processed options.
They cautioned that relying on products such as instant noodles, sugary cereals, refined flour products, and seasoning cubes could undermine public health goals.
Economic and Food System Concerns
Beyond health implications, the group also warned that prioritising industrial food products for fortification could weaken Nigeria’s local food systems and agricultural economy.
“This approach risks weakening Nigeria’s food sovereignty and pushing nutrient-rich indigenous foods out of reach,” the coalition noted.
They also argued that such policies may disproportionately benefit multinational food corporations while marginalising smallholder farmers and traditional diets that are more nutritionally balanced.
Women Bear the Hidden Burden
The coalition further highlighted the social impact of chronic illnesses, particularly on women and girls in low-income households.
Executive Director of Keen & Care Initiative, Josephine Alabi, explained that women often carry the long-term caregiving burden when family members suffer from diseases such as stroke, diabetes, and heart disease.
“As primary caregivers, their time is consumed, limiting opportunities for education, income generation, and personal development,” she said.
Call for Policy Reforms and Stricter Regulation
The group urged key regulatory bodies, including the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), to reassess the country’s current food fortification approach.
They also called for stronger measures to curb Nigeria’s growing non-communicable disease burden, including a 30 percent reduction target in sodium intake by 2030.
Among their recommendations were:
- Introduction of front-of-pack warning labels on unhealthy foods
- Stricter regulation of “fortified” health claims
- Expansion of taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages
- Greater investment in local and traditional food systems
- Support for biofortification of staple crops
‘Public Health Must Reduce Risk, Not Repackage It’
Mafeni warned that Nigeria risks undermining its own health objectives if contradictory policies persist.
“We cannot promote sodium reduction on one hand and normalise high-sodium products on the other,” he said. “Public health policy must reduce risk, not repackage it.”
The coalition concluded by urging the government to prioritise sustainable nutrition strategies rooted in dietary diversity, local food production, and healthier eating patterns, warning that continued reliance on ultra-processed foods could intensify Nigeria’s long-term health and economic challenges.