CSOs demand mandatory salt targets, warning labels to protect Nigerians from NCDs

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

As Nigeria joined the global community to mark World Consumer Rights Day themed “Safe Products, Confident Consumers”, the Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) are calling on the Federal and state governments to prioritize public health by enacting mandatory salt targets and front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) for all processed and pre-packaged foods to protect consumers from preventable diet-related diseases.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED) Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI) Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA). The coalition noted that Nigeria struggles with a rising tide of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), with 29% of all deaths in the country now linked to conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, and kidney failure. A major driver of this crisis, the groups argued, is the excessive consumption of salt, with the average Nigerian consuming up to 10 grams of salt daily, nearly double the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s limit of 5 grams per day.
Under the 2026 global theme of “Safe Products”, the public health advocates reiterated that consumer rights are human rights, and the government must acknowledge that a product high in hidden salts, which fuels disease, is not safe.
Nigerians, they stressed, deserve to know exactly what is in their food through clear, easy-to-understand warning labels on the front of packages, not buried in complex technical jargon written at the back of the pack, leaving consumers vulnerable to false claims and deceptive marketing tactics by the food industry.
While commending the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMOHSW) for launching the National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction in 2025, they stressed that the government must move from guidelines to enforcement to achieve the national goal of a 30% reduction in Nigeria’s salt intake by 2030.
“Consumers cannot be confident about the products they buy if critical nutrition information is hidden or difficult to understand,” the partners said. “Clear front-of-pack labelling and meaningful salt reduction policies are essential tools to help Nigerians identify unhealthy products and make better dietary choices.”