One in 10 Nigerians living with chronic kidney disease — Nephrologists

The Nigerian Association of Nephrology has warned that at least one in every ten Nigerians is now living with chronic kidney disease, raising concern over what experts describe as a rapidly growing public health burden.

The President of the Association, Prof Olugbenga Awobusuyi, issued the warning on Tuesday during the 38th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association held in Maiduguri.

Prof Awobusuyi said the rising prevalence of the disease had become “a matter of serious national concern,” stressing that kidney-related conditions require urgent and sustained attention across all levels of government.

He explained that discussions at the conference confirmed that chronic kidney disease affects about 10 per cent of Nigeria’s adult population, a figure he said reflects the scale of the emerging crisis.

“When detected early, a lot can be done to manage it,” he said. “The real problem arises when it is not identified on time. Treatment then becomes extremely expensive, often pushing families into catastrophic situations and worsening the condition.”

The nephrologist urged state governments to establish more dialysis centres, arguing that federal facilities alone are not sufficient to meet current demands.

He noted that while Nigeria has more than 200 functional dialysis units, only around 800 dialysis machines are operational nationwide—far below the number needed to address the growing caseload.

He commended states that have already established dialysis centres to support patients battling kidney diseases.

Prof Awobusuyi said the conference served as a platform to bring together key stakeholders—government officials, health workers, civil society groups, traditional rulers and journalists—to improve public awareness and discuss strategies for strengthening kidney care.

He added that addressing the situation would require confronting long-standing gaps in the health system, strengthening early detection mechanisms and building a more coordinated national response.

The session also reviewed new trends in kidney care, recent research, particularly in the Nigerian context and wider public health challenges associated with managing kidney disease across the country.