By Kinsley Samuel
As Nigeria joins the global community to mark World Consumer Rights Day, civil society organisations are urging government authorities to adopt stronger nutrition policies, including mandatory salt reduction targets and front-of-pack food warning labels, to curb the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, NCDs.
The call was made in a joint statement by the Network for Health Equity and Development, Centre for Communication and Social Impact and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa to mark this year’s global theme, “Safe Products, Confident Consumers.”
According to the coalition, Nigeria is facing a rising tide of diet-related illnesses, with nearly 29 per cent of all deaths linked to conditions such as hypertension, heart disease and kidney failure.
A major driver of the crisis, the organisations said, is excessive salt consumption, noting that the average Nigerian consumes about 10 grams of salt daily—almost double the 5-gram daily limit recommended by the World Health Organization.
The groups warned that many processed and pre-packaged foods contain high levels of hidden salt, making it difficult for consumers to make informed dietary choices.
“Consumers cannot be confident about the products they buy if critical nutrition information is hidden or difficult to understand,” the coalition said.
They therefore called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and other regulatory agencies to move beyond guidelines and introduce enforceable policies that require manufacturers to reduce salt content in processed foods.
While commending the ministry for launching Nigeria’s National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction in 2025, the organisations stressed that stronger regulatory action is required to achieve the country’s target of reducing salt intake by 30 per cent by 2030.
The coalition also urged authorities to introduce mandatory front-of-pack labelling, a system that places clear and easy-to-understand warnings or symbols on the front of food packaging to indicate high levels of salt, sugar or unhealthy fats.
According to the groups, such labels help consumers quickly identify unhealthy products rather than relying on complex nutrition information printed in small text at the back of packaging.
They noted that excess salt consumption is a major contributor to hypertension, stroke and cardiovascular diseases, adding that widely consumed foods such as noodles, bouillon cubes, bread, frozen foods, snacks and salad dressings often contain high sodium levels.
“Food safety must go beyond contamination and extend to nutritional safety,” the statement said. “When foods contain dangerously high levels of salt without clear warnings, consumers are denied their right to make informed choices about their health.”
The organisations therefore called on key regulators—including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria—to enforce mandatory salt targets, introduce front-of-pack warning labels, restrict marketing of ultra-processed foods to children, and strengthen monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.
They also urged authorities to scale up public education campaigns that encourage healthier eating habits and greater awareness of nutrition labels.
The coalition said the proposed measures are consistent with global best practices and are critical to tackling Nigeria’s growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
It also called on consumers to play a role by paying closer attention to food labels and demanding healthier products from manufacturers.
“Protecting consumers means ensuring that the food sold in our markets supports health rather than undermines it,” the organisations said.
They reaffirmed their commitment to working with government agencies, public health experts and civil society partners to create a healthier food environment that prioritises safe products and informed consumer choices.
