Nigeria is in the grip of a heart health crisis. Millions risk high blood pressure, strokes, and heart attacks, driven by unhealthy diets, sugary drinks, salt, and tobacco. With hospitals and specialists in short supply, many go untreated. Experts say the fix is urgent: tax sugar and tobacco, label processed foods, restrict junk food ads to children, and cut salt in packaged foods to save lives and secure the nation’s future. Chinyere Okoroafor report
The problem is urgent. According to the Nigerian Cardiac Society, about one-third of adults live with high blood pressure, with some regions seeing rates as high as 40 percent. Alarmingly, many Nigerians are unaware of their condition, and a significant number have uncontrolled blood pressure despite knowing their status. This puts millions at risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other deadly complications.
Globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that cardiovascular diseases claim 17.9 million lives every year, with over 75 per cent of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria. Most of these deaths, the WHO notes, are preventable through interventions that curb tobacco use, excessive salt and sugar consumption, physical inactivity, and harmful alcohol intake.
Experts say Nigeria’s surge in cardiovascular diseases mirrors this global trend. They point to unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and widespread tobacco use as key drivers. Excessive consumption of salt and sugar-sweetened beverages contributes to obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, while smoking and smokeless tobacco products damage the heart and blood vessels. Combined with limited public awareness and weak policy enforcement, these lifestyle factors are fueling a silent epidemic across the country.
Healthcare system under pressure
The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) warned on World Heart Day that Nigeria’s limited healthcare infrastructure is worsening the country’s growing heart health crisis.
“As of 2021, only 13 centres in Nigeria were performing heart surgery, with just 80 heart surgeons serving over 200 million people. The cost of heart surgery has also risen sharply, from about ₦3 million to ₦5.5 million on average in 2024, placing lifesaving care far beyond the reach of most families,” the organisation stated.
Experts say the country’s healthcare system is ill-equipped to meet the rising burden of cardiovascular disease.
Head of Cardiology at the National Hospital in Abuja, and Secretary-General of the Nigerian Hypertension Society, Dr. Oladipupo Fasan
underscores the increasing number of Nigerians living with undiagnosed hypertension, a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Dr. Fasan notes that hypertension often has no symptoms until serious complications set in, making it a “silent killer” and highlighting the urgent need for increased awareness and screening to prevent cardiovascular events.
CAPPA’s call for action
Against this backdrop, CAPPA has urged the federal government to act decisively, not only to enforce existing measures but also to ensure that taxes from unhealthy foods and tobacco are earmarked for strengthening the health sector.
Speaking on the eve of World Heart Day 2025, CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, stressed: “These measures are proven, cost-effective interventions that will save lives and protect families from the devastating health and financial burdens of heart disease and related illnesses.”
CAPPA’s recommendations are comprehensive and evidence-based, targeting the major drivers of cardiovascular disease.
These include mandatory salt reduction in processed foods to lower the risk of hypertension, an effective sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax of at least N130 per litre to curb consumption of high-calorie drinks, and mandatory front-of-pack warning labels (FOPWL) on packaged and ultra-processed foods to inform consumers about health risks.
The organisation also recommends restrictions on advertising and marketing of junk foods, tobacco, and smokeless nicotine products, particularly to children, as well as a 100 percent increase in tobacco taxes to discourage smoking and generate funds for the health sector.
“These policies are not just health interventions, they are social and economic imperatives,” Oluwafemi added.
“By reducing salt in processed foods, introducing bold warning labels, increasing taxes on sugary drinks and tobacco, and restricting harmful marketing, Nigeria can significantly cut the rising burden of heart disease.”
A public health specialist, Dr. Adeola Olatunde, said: “Individual lifestyle changes are important, but they are not enough. Without government-led policy interventions, unhealthy products remain cheap and widely marketed. We need strong regulations to make healthier choices accessible and affordable.”
Evidence supports strong policy action
A study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that sugar taxes and front-of-package warning labels led to reductions in the consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages, lower obesity rates, and decreased incidence of diabetes and hypertension.
Similarly, the World Health Organization reports that higher tobacco taxes consistently reduce smoking prevalence, particularly among youths, who are most vulnerable to lifelong health risks. These findings provide strong support for CAPPA’s recommended policies in Nigeria.
Economic and social impacts
Heart disease is not only a health threat but also an economic one. Families face catastrophic healthcare costs, while the nation loses productive workforce hours due to illness and premature death.
CAPPA stresses that prevention-oriented policies are economically sound, reducing long-term healthcare expenses, improving productivity, and supporting sustainable development.
“The cost of inaction far outweighs the cost of implementing preventive measures.Protecting our hearts means protecting the country’s future.” Oluwafemi said
Observed annually, World Heart Day raises awareness about cardiovascular disease and encourages governments and individuals to act. This year’s theme, “Don’t miss a beat,” reminds everyone to stay alert to heart risks. CAPPA emphasizes that strong policies, making healthy food, active lifestyles, and reduced tobacco use accessible, are essential, as individual effort alone is insufficient.
State-level action and local engagement
While federal action is critical, CAPPA urges state governments to adopt complementary policies, such as regional sugar taxes, local labeling regulations, and public education campaigns. “Local governments play a key role in ensuring policies reach communities and that citizens understand how to make healthier choices,” Oluwafemi said.
Schools, workplaces, and community organizations are also vital partners in promoting heart-healthy lifestyles, including physical activity, nutritious diets, and awareness of risk factors. Experts emphasize that community engagement and education are key for national policies to succeed.
Urgency and the way forward
Nigeria’s rising epidemic of cardiovascular and non-communicable diseases is a ticking time bomb. CAPPA warns that without urgent action, weak healthcare infrastructure, rising treatment costs, and widespread risk factors could overwhelm hospitals, burden families, and slow economic growth.
The organisation calls for strong, evidence-based policies, preventive measures, and public engagement to tackle the crisis.
“Every day of delay costs lives and increases the burden on families and the nation,” Oluwafemi said.
Decisive government action at federal, state, and community levels can reduce premature deaths, strengthen the health system, and build a healthier, more productive society.