Hypertension in Young Adults in Nigeria: A Review of Prevalence and Emerging Trends

Abstract

Abstract Background Hypertension is increasingly being observed among young adults in low- and medium-income countries, including Nigeria. Although national estimates show a rising burden over the last three decades, the extent to which these trends affect younger populations remains poorly characterised. Evidence specific to Nigerians aged 18–40 years remains scattered across small, heterogenous studies. Objectives To synthesise available evidence on the prevalence of hypertension among young adults in Nigeria and to describe emerging trends using national estimates from previous studies for contextual interpretation. Methods A narrative review approach was used. Search Strategy: PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, African Journals Online (AJOL), and Google Scholar were searched for studies published between 2005 and 2025. Selected studies were those conducted in Nigeria that reported hypertension prevalence among individuals aged 18–40 years or provided extractable data for this age range. Data on study setting, sample characteristics, blood pressure measurement methods, and prevalence estimates were extracted. National age-stratified hypertension estimates were used to contextualise historical trends. Results Nine data sources were reviewed: eight primary studies ( n = 5,455) and one national study providing contextual age-stratified data. Prevalence estimates across the eight primary studies ranged from 8.1% to 35.9%, with lower rates generally observed among student populations (8–20%) and higher rates among community-based adult samples (17–36%). The nationwide REMAH survey reported 6.8% prevalence among individuals aged 18–30 years, rising to 18.1% among those aged 30–39 years. National estimates demonstrated a four-to-five-fold increase in hypertension among adults aged 20–39 years between 1995 and 2020. Conclusion Hypertension represents a significant and emerging health concern among young Nigerians aged 18–40 years. The consistent burden across studies and the upward national trend highlights the need for earlier screening, targeted risk-reduction strategies, and broader public health attention. More methodologically standardised studies are required to better characterise the scope of hypertension in this age group.