By Felix Khanoba
With hypertension on the rise across Nigeria, the Nigeria Sodium Study Team, in collaboration with the University of Abuja’s Cardiovascular Research Centre, is ramping up its campaign to curb excessive salt intake and promote healthier lifestyles.
What began as an outreach to university students across the country’s geo-political zones has now been broadened to target the wider population through grassroots initiatives and mass media platforms.
The expanded campaign aims to alert Nigerians to the health risks linked to high salt consumption.
“Nigeria has one of the highest rates of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa, largely driven by poor dietary habits,” said Professor Dike Ojji, lead investigator at the University of Abuja’s Cardiovascular Research Centre and head of the salt-reduction campaign.
He stressed, “Salt may taste good, but too much of it is destroying our health. To save lives, we must cut it down. Our people need to understand the dangers of excessive salt consumption — without this awareness, many will remain ignorant, and changing salt-use behaviour will be difficult.”
Ojji noted that the campaign goes beyond presenting research findings, focusing also on equipping Nigerians with practical strategies to reduce salt use. He advised people to taste food before adding salt, reduce dependence on seasoning cubes, and opt for healthier local spices.
The initiative draws on evidence from the Nigeria Sodium Study, which examined dietary sodium intake, surveyed retail products, and engaged stakeholders to shape effective national policies.
The project is a joint effort between the University of Abuja’s Cardiovascular Research Centre and global partners, including Washington University in St. Louis, Northwestern University in Chicago, and The George Institute for Global Health in Australia.
According to health experts, this expanded effort could be pivotal in reducing hypertension, strokes, and kidney-related conditions — illnesses responsible for thousands of preventable deaths each year in Nigeria.
