‘230,000 Nigerians In Need Of Kidney Transplants’
A Professor of Internal Medicine and Nephrology at the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Niger Delta University (NDU), Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Oghenekaro Egbi, has raised concern that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is on track to become the fifth leading cause of death globally.
Delivering the university’s 65th inaugural lecture titled “The Human Kidney: Casualty of Societal Maladies; An SOS Distress Call,” Prof. Egbi revealed that about 230,000 Nigerians currently require life-saving dialysis or kidney transplantation.
He linked the rise in CKD to the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, alongside persistent infectious diseases like hepatitis and HIV—creating a worrying double burden of disease.
According to him, over 68% of admissions in a tertiary hospital in Bayelsa State were linked to NCDs, driven by genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
Ultra-Processed Foods and Kidney Disease
Presenting his research findings, Prof. Egbi emphasized that modern dietary habits are a major contributor to kidney health decline.
He noted that many Nigerians now rely heavily on fast foods and industrially processed products containing artificial additives, high sugar, sodium, refined carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats.
Examples he listed include:
Soft drinks
Canned beverages
Processed meats
Flavoured yoghurt
Salted nuts
Hamburgers
Instant noodles
Consumption of such ultra-processed foods, he said, is associated with a 24% higher risk of developing kidney disease.
Environmental and Socioeconomic Factors
Prof. Egbi further explained that environmental exposures also play a key role. His studies showed higher prevalence of kidney disease in Obunagha, a gas-flaring community, compared to non-gas-flaring areas like Azikoro. Residents living near gas-flaring sites are at greater risk of reduced kidney function, he said.
He also stressed that poverty remains a major obstacle to effective CKD management. Citing the National Bureau of Statistics (2025), he noted that 63% of Nigerians are multi-dimensionally poor.
The high cost of treatment forces many patients to discontinue care prematurely.
“Up to 61 per cent of patients in a dialysis centre in Bayelsa State could not afford sessions beyond the first week,” he noted.
Transplant Rates Remain Extremely Low in Nigeria
While about 30% of end-stage kidney disease patients in developed countries receive kidney transplants, he highlighted that less than 1% of Nigerian patients attempt transplantation due to:
Out-of-pocket expenses
Poor infrastructure
Low awareness
Shortage of specialized medical personnel
Call for Action
Prof. Egbi urged government and stakeholders to:
Intensify health education
Strengthen healthcare systems
Improve policy support
Invest in preventive care
He warned that without these measures, the burden of kidney disease in Nigeria will continue to rise at alarming levels.
