As Nigeria joins the global community to mark World Heart Day, health experts are raising alarms over the rising burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which they say are not only a leading cause of death but also worsening poverty across households.
The Nigeria Heart Foundation reports that the prevalence of CVDs has surged from 10% in 1990 to 28% today, with hypertension identified as the primary risk factor. Globally, about 20 million people die annually from cardiovascular conditions.
Professor Akin Osibogun, chairman of the foundation, warned that poor awareness, limited access to specialists, and weak health insurance coverage are compounding the crisis. According to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), only about 10% of Nigerians are insured, leaving most citizens to pay out-of-pocket for care that often costs millions of naira.
A 2021 study published in the Public Library of Science showed that more than half of CVD patients in Nigeria face catastrophic health expenditure (CHE), with poorer households up to 60 times more likely to be pushed into extreme financial distress compared to wealthier ones. Health spending, the study found, doubles the poverty rate among affected households—from 8.13% to 16.4%.
Treatment costs remain prohibitive. For example, valve replacement at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital costs about ₦3.2 million, while a hole-in-the-heart surgery is priced between ₦2.5 million and ₦2.7 million. With more than 63% of Nigerians living below the poverty line, experts warn that life-saving procedures are increasingly out of reach.
Osibogun also noted that air pollution is becoming an overlooked driver of heart disease. “Due to air pollution, the concentration of oxygen is reduced by pollutants, so the heart has to work harder, almost in overdrive,” he explained.
Experts are calling for stronger preventive measures, including public awareness campaigns on healthy lifestyles, early hypertension management, and reduced salt intake. They also recommend equipping primary healthcare centres with cardiovascular services to provide timely and affordable care.
Research underscores the urgency of action. A Lagos-based tertiary hospital study revealed that CVD admissions rose by nearly 850% between 2002 and 2017, reflecting the country’s ongoing epidemiological transition. A 2024 Global Heart study further confirmed hypertension as the major contributor, accounting for up to a third of intracerebral haemorrhagic strokes.
To reduce treatment costs, Osibogun stressed the need to strengthen local pharmaceutical manufacturing and medical infrastructure, while urging Nigerians to “move more, eat well, and adopt healthier habits” as first steps in combating the disease.
