Background. A community-based study put the prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria at 32.8%. Market workers in Nigeria lead
sedentary life style and often depend on salt-laden fast food while at work. Method. An unselected population of market workers
were screened for hypertension and its risk factors by a pretested, structured questionnaire, clinical examination, and laboratory
investigation. Hypertension was defined as BP = 140 and/or = 90 mmHg or being on drug therapy. Results. Forty-two percent
of the screened population were hypertensive. Of this number, 70.6% did not know they were hypertensive before the screening.
More males than females (P = .022) were hypertensive. Prevalence of hypertension increased with age from 5.4% in the age group
<20 years to 80% in the age group =70 years. Conclusion. The prevalence of hypertension in market workers in this study was 42%,
and the majority of them were unaware of their disease.