The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that food scarcity, rising prices, and insecurity have forced many Nigerian households to reduce their food consumption. According to the latest General Household Survey Panel (Wave 5), conducted in collaboration with the World Bank, 65% of families are unable to afford healthy meals due to a lack of money.
The report highlighted that price increases on major food items have affected 71% of households, while food shortages were reported by more than one-third of families in the past year. These shortages were most severe during the months of June, July, and August, further worsening the food insecurity crisis.
In response to these challenges, nearly half of the households surveyed (48.8%) admitted to reducing their food intake as a coping mechanism.
“In the past 12 months, more than one-third of households faced food shortages, which occurred more frequently in the months of June, July, and August. Price increases on major food items were the most prevalent shock reported by households, affecting 71.0 percent of surveyed households,” the report stated.
The survey revealed a worrying rise in food insecurity, with the percentage of households concerned about not having enough to eat increasing from 36.9% in 2019 (Wave 4) to 62.4% in 2023 (Wave 5).
The data also showed that:
- 65.8% of households were unable to eat healthy or preferred foods due to a lack of money in the past 30 days.
- 63.8% consumed only a limited variety of food.
- 60.5% ate less than they felt they needed.
- 12.3% reported that at least one family member went without food for an entire day.
- 20.8% had to borrow food or rely on help from friends and relatives.
Regionally, the report indicated that households in the southern zones faced more food insecurity incidents than those in the northern zones. For instance, 62.4% of households in the South-East reported skipping meals, compared to 34.0% in the North-Central zone. The South-South region recorded the highest rates across five of the eight indicators of food insecurity, while the North-Central zone reported the lowest rates in six of the indicators.
The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to address food insecurity, stabilize prices, and improve access to affordable, nutritious food across Nigeria.