Evidence mapPaperPMID 41814189Full record

SynthesisBMC cardiovascular disorders2026

Prevalence of hypertension among adults in Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Monday Nwankwo, Wusa Makena, Aisha Idris, Danborno Barnabas, Angela Member Danborno, Elizabeth Bassey Umoren

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC cardiovascular disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Monday NwankwoDepartment of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Federal University of Lafia, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. nmonday65@gmail.com.
Wusa MakenaDepartment of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Kampala International University, Western Campus, Bushenyi, Uganda.
Aisha IdrisDepartment of Human Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria.
Danborno BarnabasDepartment of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
Angela Member DanbornoDepartment of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Bingham University, Karu, Nigeria.
Elizabeth Bassey UmorenDepartment of Physiology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Kampala International University, Western Campus, Bushenyi, Uganda.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHypertension is a leading contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and a major driver of the noncommunicable disease burden in low- and middle-income countries. In Nigeria, prevalence estimates vary widely due to methodological heterogeneity across studies. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to generate a current and geographically representative pooled estimate of hypertension prevalence among Nigerian adults.

objectivesTo estimate pooled prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria and examine subgroup differences.

methodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of primarily cross-sectional studies to estimate the pooled prevalence of hypertension and examine subgroup differences (sex, settings, and geopolitical zones). Eligible studies were identified through comprehensive database searches and screened according to predefined inclusion criteria. Pooled estimates were calculated using a random-effects model to account for between-study variability. Seven databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsychInfo, and African Journals Online) were systematically searched for primary studies published from January 2015 to September 2025. Eligible studies measured hypertension among adult Nigerians 18 years and above as systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic pressure ≥ 90 mmHg or on antihypertensive medication). Titles and abstracts were screened, data were extracted, and the quality of studies evaluated by two independent reviewers using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Heterogeneity was assessed through Q-test, I2, tau2, and 95% prediction interval. Sensitivity analyses according to the potential sources of heterogeneity across the included studies were conducted.

resultsThirty-two studies comprising 49,788 participants were included. The pooled prevalence of hypertension was 34.2% (95% CI: 29.6, 39.1%), with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 99.1%; τ² = 0.367; 95% PI: 13–65%). Prevalence did not differ significantly between rural (34.4%) and urban (34.0%) settings (p = 0.175), males (41.6%) and females (32.3%) (p = 0.106), or across geopolitical zones (p = 0.148), although the South-West (41.7%) and North-Central (38.1%) regions showed higher point estimates.

conclusionHypertension affects approximately one in three Nigerian adults, indicating a substantial and widespread burden with regional variation but limited rural–urban or sex differences. These findings underscore the importance of sustained surveillance and context-specific strategies to address hypertension in Nigeria.

Indexed as

Blood PressureHypertensionAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNigeriaPrevalenceRisk FactorsRural HealthUrban HealthYoung AdultHypertensionmeta-analysisNigerianoncommunicable diseasesprevalencesystematic review

Identifiers

PMID41814189
PMCPMC13088831

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.