The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that 20.8 per cent of Nigerian households relied on borrowing food or seeking assistance from friends and relatives to survive in the past 30 days.
This alarming statistic highlights the deepening food insecurity crisis in the country.
The findings, published in the General Household Survey-Panel Wave 5 (2023/2024), supported by the World Bank, paint a grim picture of the struggle faced by millions.
According to the report, 65.8 per cent of households could not afford healthy, nutritious, or preferred meals due to financial difficulties, while 63.8 per cent resorted to a limited variety of foods.
“Approximately two out of three households (65.8 per cent) reported being unable to eat healthy, nutritious, or preferred foods because of lack of money in the last 30 days. 63.8 per cent of households ate only a few kinds of food due to lack of money, 62.4 per cent were worried about not having enough food to eat, and 60.5 per cent ate less than they thought they should,” the report stated.
Alarmingly, 12.3 per cent of households disclosed that at least one member went without food for an entire day during the same period.
The report also highlighted stark regional disparities, with households in the southern zones being the worst hit. In the South-South region, more than 60 per cent of households skipped meals due to financial constraints – a figure significantly higher than the North-Central region.
Gender disparities were also evident, as 72.2 per cent of female-headed households reported being unable to afford healthy meals, compared to 64 per cent of male-headed households.
Additionally, 55.2 per cent of female-led households ran out of food entirely, compared to 41.3 per cent of their male counterparts.
The NBS noted a troubling trend, with food insecurity worsening since 2018. Households worried about food due to financial constraints nearly doubled, rising from 36.9 per cent in Wave 4 to 62.4 per cent in Wave 5.
The North-Central region recorded the sharpest increase, with food insecurity concerns tripling from 16.2 per cent to 44.9 per cent. Similarly, the South-West zone experienced a rise from 46.7 per cent to 61.7 per cent.
Over the past year, 37 per cent of households reported food shortages, with 61.6 per cent struggling during the lean months of June to August.
The North-East had the highest rate of food shortages at 53 per cent, while the North-Central region recorded the lowest at 25.7 per cent.
The report underscores the urgency for targeted interventions to address Nigeria’s growing food and economic crises.
Without decisive action, millions of households could face even graver nutritional and financial challenges.
