The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to accelerate the enforcement of regulations aimed at reducing salt content in processed and packaged foods, amid growing health concerns about rising hypertension cases in Nigeria.

In a recent statement, CAPPA’s Healthy Food Advocate, Esi-Ife Arogundade, described excessive sodium consumption as a major, yet preventable contributor to high blood pressure. She explained that while sodium is essential for bodily functions, its overconsumption significantly heightens the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The organisation welcomed the launch of Nigeria’s National Sodium Reduction Guideline by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The guideline, which was developed in collaboration with CAPPA and other stakeholders, was described as a positive step forward. However, CAPPA stressed the urgency for NAFDAC to follow through by implementing mandatory limits on salt levels in processed foods to eliminate hidden dietary sources of sodium.

Arogundade warned that hypertension remains a silent but serious health concern affecting millions globally, with Nigeria bearing an increasing burden. She noted that high blood pressure often shows no symptoms but can result in deadly complications.

To address the problem, CAPPA is also pushing for front-of-pack nutritional labelling on food items. Arogundade stated that clear sodium content labelling would enable consumers to make informed healthier dietary decisions and pressure manufacturers to reduce salt in their products, contributing to a more health-conscious food industry.