Stakeholders across Nigeria’s health and policy space have sounded a strong warning on the dangers of excessive salt and sugar consumption, calling on citizens to adopt healthier diets to curb the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The call was made during The Mirror Newspaper Conference and Excellence Awards for Heroes of Our Time, held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ikeja, where experts highlighted diet-related illnesses as a silent but escalating national crisis.
Chairman of the occasion, prominent legal practitioner Asiwaju Kunle Kalejaye (SAN), emphasised the importance of personal responsibility in maintaining good health, particularly as people age. He urged Nigerians to rethink their daily consumption habits.
“People must take responsibility for what they eat and drink. Reduce salt and sugary foods, drink more water, and cut down on canned juices and soft drinks,” he advised.
The conference, themed “X-raying the Salt: Safeguarding National Health,” featured a keynote address by Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), delivered by Associate Director Olamide Martins.
Oluwafemi described excessive salt intake as a “silent driver” of hypertension and other life-threatening conditions. According to him, the average Nigerian consumes about 10 grams of salt daily—twice the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of less than 5 grams.
He noted that hypertension currently affects between 30 and 40 percent of Nigerian adults, significantly increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.
“Many sudden deaths often attributed to mysterious causes are actually linked to undiagnosed or poorly managed non-communicable diseases driven by what we consume daily,” he said.
The CAPPA executive also identified systemic challenges worsening dietary habits, including insecurity in farming communities, poor transportation infrastructure, rising food prices, and a growing dependence on processed foods. He warned that common items like bouillon cubes contain high sodium levels that significantly increase daily salt intake.
Despite these challenges, Oluwafemi acknowledged ongoing government efforts to address the crisis, including proposed mandatory salt reduction targets and front-of-pack warning labels aimed at cutting national salt consumption by 30 percent.
In his remarks, Editor-in-Chief of The Mirror Newspaper, Rev. Stanley Ihedigbo, said the event celebrates individuals whose contributions to society often go unnoticed but remain impactful.
Delivering a goodwill message, the Grand Chief Imam of Oyoland, Shaykh Billal Akinola Husayn Akeugberu, encouraged Nigerians to embrace healthier lifestyles in line with moral and religious teachings, offering prayers for good health and longevity.
Participants at the conference called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, the private sector, civil society, and the media to effectively tackle Nigeria’s public health challenges.
The event also honoured several individuals and organisations for their outstanding contributions to national development, spanning sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, media, and public service.
By merging health advocacy with recognition of changemakers, the conference reinforced the urgent need for collective action in improving public health outcomes and promoting healthier living across Nigeria.