The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed an alarming increase in food insecurity across Nigeria, with households facing severe challenges in meeting dietary needs due to rising food prices, insecurity, and scarcity.
In its latest General Household Survey Panel (Wave 5) report, conducted in partnership with the World Bank, the NBS paints a grim picture of a nation grappling with widespread hunger and dwindling food consumption.
According to the report, over 65% of Nigerian households cannot afford healthy and nutritious meals due to financial constraints. The findings underscore a significant deterioration in food security compared to previous years, with the proportion of households worried about insufficient food jumping from 36.9% in 2019 (Wave 4) to 62.4% in the latest survey.
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Price hikes for essential food items have significantly impacted 71% of households, worsening the crisis, particularly during the peak food scarcity months of June, July, and August. As a coping mechanism, nearly half (48.8%) of the affected households reported reducing their food consumption, while some turned to borrowing food or seeking assistance from friends and relatives.
In the crisis, regional disparities are notable, with southern Nigeria experiencing higher incidences of food insecurity compared to northern regions. For instance, in the South-East, 62.4% of households skipped meals, while in the South-West, the figure stood at 50.1%. In contrast, the North-Central region reported the lowest rates, with only 34% of households skipping meals.
The South-South region recorded the highest levels of food insecurity across five of eight key indicators, making it the most affected zone. On the other hand, North-Central recorded the lowest rates across six indicators, offering a glimpse of regional variation in coping capacities and food availability.
The report also highlighted the psychological toll of food insecurity, with 60.5% of households eating less than they believed they needed, and 12.3% admitting that at least one family member had gone a full day without eating. The data reflects the growing pressure on households to adapt to worsening economic conditions, developing food-skipping as a coping mechanism.
Impact of Reform Policies
The situation, which started under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has worsened under President Tinubu’s reform agenda, particularly his removal of the fuel subsidy in May 2023. While intended to address longstanding inefficiencies, the subsidy removal led to soaring transportation and production costs, further driving up food prices. Additionally, the unification of Nigeria’s multiple exchange rates caused a sharp depreciation of the naira, making food imports and agricultural inputs prohibitively expensive for many.
The government’s inability to address the crisis is underscored by President Tinubu’s appeal to world leaders at the G20 summit in Brazil. He urged for global support to combat hunger in Nigeria, a move widely interpreted as an admission of the government’s lack of a coherent domestic strategy to tackle the problem.
Many have pointed to this appeal as a sign that Nigeria’s leadership is overwhelmed by the scale of the challenge.
Despite signing a 150-day duty-free import window in July to allow the importation of select food items, the policy has yet to be implemented effectively. The delay has rendered the initiative ineffective in providing immediate relief to struggling households.
A Growing Sense of Helplessness
With inflation on food items continuing to rise and the naira’s depreciation showing no signs of abating, many Nigerians feel the government has no clear roadmap to address the worsening crisis. President Tinubu’s administration has yet to articulate a comprehensive plan for improving agricultural productivity or stabilizing food supply chains, leaving millions of families vulnerable.
This prolonged inaction and the reliance on external appeals have eroded public confidence in the government’s ability to manage the situation. Without swift, targeted interventions, the prospect of alleviating hunger in Nigeria appears increasingly bleak, with the percentage of people who skip meals expected to rise further.