The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that food scarcity, insecurity, and rising prices have compelled many Nigerian households to reduce their consumption levels,Daily Trust reports.
According to the NBS’s latest General Household Survey Panel (Wave 5), conducted in collaboration with the World Bank, 65% of families and residents cannot afford healthy meals due to financial constraints. The report highlights that 71% of households have been affected by price hikes on key food items, while over one-third experienced food shortages in the past year, particularly during the months of June, July, and August—worsening the food insecurity crisis.
The survey found that nearly half (48.8%) of households had to cut their food consumption as a coping mechanism.
“In the last 12 months, more than one-third of households faced food shortages, which were most frequent in June, July, and August,” the report stated. “Price increases on major food items were the most widespread shock, impacting 71% of surveyed households.”
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The findings also showed a sharp rise in food insecurity compared to previous years. The proportion of households worried about having enough food increased from 36.9% in Wave 4 (2019) to 62.4% in Wave 5.
Key findings include:
- 65.8% of households reported being unable to eat healthy or nutritious meals due to lack of money in the last 30 days.
- 63.8% of households resorted to eating only a limited variety of foods, while 60.5% ate less than they believed they needed.
- 12.3% of households had at least one person go an entire day without food, and 20.8% relied on borrowed food or assistance from friends and relatives.
Regional disparities in food insecurity were also highlighted. Southern zones reported more severe food security challenges than northern zones. For instance:
- In the southern zones, the percentage of households skipping meals ranged from 50.1% in the South West to 62.4% in the South East.
- In northern zones, the range was 34.0% in North Central to 48.3% in the North East.
The report identified the South-South zone as having the highest rate of food insecurity in five out of eight measured indicators, while the North-Central zone had the lowest rate in six indicators.
The NBS concluded that financial challenges and rising food costs have significantly strained the ability of Nigerian households to meet their dietary needs, with millions facing a growing crisis of food insecurity.
