The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported that food scarcity, insecurity, and rising costs have forced 65 percent of Nigerian households to forgo healthy meals due to financial constraints.
The findings, released in the General Household Survey Panel (Wave 5) conducted in partnership with the World Bank, highlight a growing food insecurity crisis across the country.
According to the report, 71 percent of households experienced price increases in major food items, while over one-third faced food shortages within the past year, particularly during June, July, and August.
As a result, nearly half (48.8 percent) of households reported reducing their food consumption as a coping mechanism. The survey also noted a sharp rise in concerns over food scarcity, with 62.4 percent of households worried about having insufficient food, compared to 36.9 percent in 2019 (Wave 4).
The NBS attributed this surge to worsening food insecurity, with over half of Nigerian families struggling to meet dietary needs.
“Approximately two out of three households (65.8 percent) reported being unable to eat healthy, nutritious, or preferred foods due to lack of money in the last 30 days,” the report revealed.
Additional findings showed:
63.8 percent of households consumed only limited types of food due to financial challenges.
60.5 percent ate less than they thought they should.
12.3 percent of households reported at least one person going without food for an entire day.
20.8 percent relied on borrowing food or assistance from friends and relatives.
Regional disparities were also evident, with southern zones reporting higher incidents of food insecurity. The proportion of households skipping meals ranged from 50.1 percent in the South West to 62.4 percent in the South East. In the northern zones, the rates varied between 34.0 percent in the North Central and 48.3 percent in the North East.
The report underscores the urgent need for interventions to address Nigeria’s deepening food insecurity and rising poverty levels.
