A whole-of-school approach for non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention and control in Nigeria

Nigeria is experiencing a multiburden of disease groups, with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) emerging as a major contributor to morbidity and mortality. Adolescents, who often exhibit coexisting NCD risk factors such as physical inactivity, poor diet, and tobacco or alcohol use, are largely omitted from the country’s current NCD prevention strategies. This omission, perhaps unintended, reveals a gap, given the unique window of opportunity this stage of the life course offers Nigeria for its NCD prevention and control efforts, with potential benefits now and in the future. This narrative review presents evidence from Nigeria and internationally that informs a whole-of-school approach anchored in the WHO/UNESCO Health-Promoting Schools (HPS) model, which directly engages adolescents as part of the country’s broader NCD prevention and control strategy. Evidence indicates an opportunity to utilise schools as a channel for NCD interventions that directly engage adolescents, aiming to reduce the NCD burden in Nigeria. We suggest institutionalising the whole-of-school approach, incentivising compliance with the HPS standards, connecting measurable indicators to existing governance cycles, and promoting multi-sectoral collaboration to ensure successful implementation.