Advocates of healthy lifestyle and better living conditions for Nigerians have cautioned that over 30 percent of deaths in the country is linked to Non-Communicable Diseases, just as CAPPA commends the Federal Government for the commissioning of the country’s first PCBs treatment facility, and urges scale-up, compliance and enforcement
By Edu Abade
Public health experts have raised concern over the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, NCDs, in Nigeria, revealing that illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and cardiovascular conditions now account for about 30 percent of deaths in the country.
They attributed the increase largely to excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods high in salt, sugar and unhealthy fats, and called for urgent regulatory measures including mandatory salt reduction and clear front-of-pack labeling, FOPL, to help consumers make informed food choices.
The experts spoke in Lagos at a Journalism Training on Salt Reduction and Front-of-Pack Labeling in Nigeria, organized by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, in collaboration with the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, GHAI.
Food Safety Technical Lead at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Mr. Femi Stephen, said the rise in NCDs is straining Nigeria’s healthcare system and affecting national productivity.
“One of the fastest-rising medical specialties today is cardiology because hospitals are seeing a surge in cardiovascular cases. General practitioners alone cannot cope. This is not only a healthcare issue but a national development challenge,” Stephen said.
While stressing that focusing only on treatment was unsustainable, he added, “We must prioritize prevention. If the preventive aspect of non-communicable diseases is not addressed, the burden on society will continue to grow.”
Stephen disclosed that research shows Nigerians consume an average of 3.9 grams of sodium daily, nearly double the World Health Organization’s recommended 2 grams per day, saying, “High sodium intake is a leading contributor to hypertension, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.”
To address this, he said the ministry developed a National Multi-sectoral Action Plan (NMAP) targeting a 30 percent reduction in salt intake, adding, “We reviewed the national food safety and quality policy to include NCD prevention, set mandatory salt targets, and introduced front-of-pack labeling based on national data,” Stephen explained, urging journalists to investigate food industry practices.
Public health consultant and general physician, Dr. Joseph Ekiyor, highlighted the economic toll of NCDs, noting that they require long-term care and repeated hospital visits.
“These diseases are expensive to manage and last a lifetime. Unlike infectious diseases, they do not just go away,” he said.
He dispelled the notion that NCDs affect only the wealthy, saying, “It used to be seen as a disease of the rich, but now ordinary Nigerians-especially low-income earners in their productive years — are the most affected,” he said. “Many deaths go undocumented because people attribute them to spiritual causes before diagnosis is made.”
Ekiyor warned that unhealthy lifestyles can have intergenerational consequences, noting, “A woman who becomes hypertensive or diabetic due to poor lifestyle choices increases the risk for her child to develop similar conditions.”
Technical Adviser at the Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), Mr. Jerome Mafeni, said effective front-of-pack labels must be simple, visible and easy to understand.
“These labels should be right in front, not hidden in microscopic print. They help consumers quickly decide whether to buy a product,” he said.
He stressed the role of policy in regulating the food industry, noting, “If you don’t set rules, the industry will act in its own interest. Policies are essential to protect public health.”
On her part, Programme Officer for Cardiovascular Health at CAPPA, Ms. Bukola Odele, urged the government to enforce limits on unhealthy ingredients and regulate food marketing.
“We must tell industries that the salt or sodium in packaged food must not exceed a set limit, and government must enforce it,” she said. “We also need to restrict the marketing of unhealthy foods and introduce fiscal policies to tax them. When unhealthy foods become more expensive, consumption will drop.”
Odele, who identified illiteracy and time constraints as barriers to effective label use, insisted that many people cannot interpret nutrient tables. Even educated consumers often have only a few seconds to make purchase decisions. That’s why simple front-of-pack labels are critical.”
In his welcome address, CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the training was designed to equip journalists to report more effectively on Nigeria’s growing food and health crisis, insisting that “The media has a crucial role in exposing harmful industry practices and promoting policies that protect public health.”
Experts agreed that without decisive action on food regulation, labeling and public awareness, Nigeria faces an escalating health and economic crisis driven by preventable diseases.
Meanwhile, CAPPA has commended the Federal Government on the commissioning of Nigeria’s first dedicated Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) treatment facility in Abuja.
The facility, established under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was inaugurated on Thursday, December 18, 2025, in Abuja.
In a statement made available to Tentacle by its Media and Communication Officer, Robert Egbe, CAPPA noted that the facility represents a critical infrastructure milestone in Nigeria’s national chemicals and waste management framework.
Polychlorinated biphenyls are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) characterised by high toxicity, environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and long-range environmental transport. PCBs are scientifically linked to carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, immunotoxicity, neuro-developmental impairment and reproductive disorders, in addition to causing significant adverse impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Their improper handling, storage or disposal results in widespread contamination of soil, surface and groundwater and the food chain, pose serious risks to public health and ecological integrity.
The statement observed that Nigeria, being a Party to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, is legally obligated to eliminate the use of PCBs in equipment, ensure the identification and labelling of PCB-containing materials, and guarantee their environmentally sound management (ESM) and final disposal.
“The commissioning of this treatment facility, therefore, constitutes a practical demonstration of Nigeria’s compliance with both its international treaty obligations and its domestic regulatory framework under the PCBs Control and Disposal Regulations, 2020,” it added.
Commenting on the development, Oluwafemi, stated that the establishment of the PCB treatment facility “validates the spirit of the National Environmental (PCBs Control and Disposal) Regulations 2020 and signals the Federal Government’s readiness to operationalize environmentally sound management systems for hazardous chemical wastes in Nigeria.”
He stressed that the facility will not only strengthen national capacity for the treatment, decontamination, and final disposal of PCB-containing equipment and wastes, but will also greatly assist in reducing occupational exposure, preventing environmental releases, and mitigating long-term public health risks.
However, he maintained that the need for the Federal Government to ensure full, systemic compliance with all provisions of the Regulations, including stringent controls on the manufacture, importation, distribution, use, storage, transportation, discharge and disposal of PCBs and PCB-containing products. He further called for robust inventory development, monitoring, reporting, enforcement mechanisms, and sanctions to guarantee effective implementation.
Oluwafemi also urged the Federal Government to prioritize the scaling up, sustained investment, technical upgrades and long-term operational sustainability, noting that adequate funding and skilled personnel are critical to meeting national PCB phase-out targets, and realizing the environmental and socio-economic benefits associated with the facility.
CAPPA equally reaffirmed its commitment to advancing environmental governance, chemical safety, and public participation, and to engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure Nigeria’s transition towards the complete elimination of PCBs in an environmentally sound and socially responsible manner.
