REPORT: Four in 10 Nigerian adults live with hypertension
At least 40 per cent of Nigerian adults live with hypertension, according to the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report released by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The report, produced in line with the National Health Act 2014, identified high blood pressure as a persistent public health challenge.
The report said awareness of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases improved in 2025 compared with 2024.
It attributed the improvement partly to intensified public health campaigns by the federal ministry of health and social welfare and professional health bodies.
The campaigns focused on educating Nigerians about the risks associated with high blood pressure and encouraging routine health checks.
Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is one of the world’s leading causes of heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.
The condition is often described as a “silent killer” because it may not present symptoms until serious complications develop.
The report said hypertension remains one of the most common non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.
It also identified the condition as a major risk factor for cardiovascular complications such as stroke, heart disease and kidney failure.
The World Health Organisation estimates that about 1.28 billion adults aged 30 to 79 live with hypertension globally.
The global health body said only one in five people with hypertension have the condition under control.
The WHO also estimates that two-thirds of adults with hypertension live in low- and middle-income countries.
The report said national data indicates that about one in three Nigerian adults lives with high blood pressure.
It added that detailed data for younger adults aged between 20 and 35 remains limited. However, doctors have reported increasing cases of hypertension among younger adults.
The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey for 2023–2024 also estimates that between 30 and 40 per cent of adults live with high blood pressure.
Health researchers say stroke, a major complication of uncontrolled hypertension, is one of the leading causes of death and disability in Nigeria.
Some hospital-based studies estimate that hypertension is responsible for up to 80 per cent of stroke cases. The report said awareness and treatment levels for hypertension remain relatively low despite the high prevalence.
Health experts attributed the rising prevalence to factors such as high salt consumption, unhealthy diets, tobacco use, harmful alcohol intake and physical inactivity.
The report said expanded screening at primary healthcare facilities contributed to improved detection of hypertension and diabetes.
It noted that non-communicable disease screening has been integrated into selected primary healthcare centres and community outreach programmes.
The screening efforts targeted men aged between 15 and 59 years who often underutilise preventive health services.
The report said the ministry’s family health department has begun integrating men’s health more deliberately into national health programmes.
Beyond cardiovascular diseases, the report highlighted the growing burden of mental health and substance abuse disorders.
It estimated that about 14 million Nigerians live with a history of drug use. The report said the situation represents a major public health challenge requiring coordinated interventions. It added that prevention campaigns led by government agencies were intensified in 2025.
The campaigns included increased collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to strengthen public awareness and early intervention.
The report said the initiative is expected to improve early detection and treatment of mental health disorders, while emphasising the need for sustained investment in primary healthcare, health promotion and preventive services.
It said such investments are necessary to reduce the growing burden of hypertension and other non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.
