Asian Journal of Medical Principles and Clinical Practice

Introduction: In Nigeria, the prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) has become alarmingly high, largely due to a combination of genetic, environmental, and socio-economic factors. According to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, CKD deaths have increased by 41.5% from 1990 to 2017. In recent decades, the incidence and prevalence of CKD has increased exponentially worldwide, reaching epidemic levels in developing and developed countries.

Methodology: A comprehensive search across nine databases for studies published between January 2015 and December 2024. The search strategy combined MeSH terms and keywords across three domains.

Results: The prevalence of CKD in Nigeria varies widely across studies, reflecting differences in study populations, methodologies, and regions. On average, studies report a CKD prevalence rate ranging from 10% to 19% among adults. Awareness of CKD in Nigeria is generally low, both among the general population and healthcare providers. A study by Ulasi and Ijeoma revealed that only a small percentage of the Nigerian population is aware of CKD and its associated risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes. The lack of awareness is particularly pronounced in rural areas, where access to health information and services is limited. Many Nigerians are unaware that they are at risk of developing CKD, leading to late presentations and advanced disease stages at diagnosis.

Conclusion: The prevalence of CKD has surged in the past decade, especially among low-resource settings. In high-income settings, the priority of equitable distribution of existing services and attention must be paid to historically disadvantaged indigenous and immigrant populations. In low-income settings, the challenges are first and foremost those of population-level prevention, equitable access, early diagnosis, and treatment such that kidney disease progression and the need for unaffordable ESKD care can be reduced.