A new survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that two-thirds of Nigerian households cannot afford healthy and nutritious food.
The report, titled “Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024), paints a grim picture of poverty and hardship across the country.
The findings show that 63.8% of households eat only a few kinds of food due to lack of money.
In addition, 60.5% said they eat less than they think they should, while 62.4% worry about not having enough to eat.
“Approximately two out of three households indicated being unable to eat healthy, nutritious, or preferred foods because of lack of money in the last 30 days,” the report stated.
This marks a sharp increase from the last survey conducted in 2018/2019, where only 36.9% of households expressed such concerns.
The findings highlight how inflation and the rising cost of living are worsening food insecurity in Nigeria.
The survey also revealed that Nigerian households face an average of 6.7 power blackouts every week.
Urban areas have better electricity access, with 82.2% of households connected, compared to only 40.4% in rural areas.
However, the constant blackouts make access unreliable, further compounding the struggles of daily life.
For cooking, 65% of households rely on traditional three-stone stoves, with 70.2% using wood as fuel.
While the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is growing, it remains inaccessible to many, especially in rural areas.
The report shows how deeply the energy crisis affects the standard of living for most Nigerians.
Sanitation and water access also remain significant issues.
Many households lack basic toilet facilities and rely on informal waste disposal methods, with 45.6% dumping waste in bushes or streets.
For drinking water, a majority depend on tube wells or boreholes, reflecting the lack of modern infrastructure.
The survey revealed a decline in asset ownership since the last report in 2018/2019.
However, two-thirds of households still own mobile phones, and 21.3% have internet access.
Housing statistics show that 70.4% of Nigerian households own their homes, with rural ownership at 80.1% compared to 49.1% in urban areas.
The NBS survey underscores the growing impact of multidimensional poverty in Nigeria.
From food insecurity to unreliable electricity and poor sanitation, many Nigerians are struggling to meet basic needs.
Economic experts have expressed concern over the findings, urging the government to take immediate action to address these challenges.
that efforts to tackle inflation and improve access to basic services should be prioritized.
The report calls attention to the critical need for policies that support low-income households and improve access to food, energy, and infrastructure.
Until then, millions of Nigerians will continue to face the harsh realities of poverty and deprivation.
“This is a dire situation,” a social commentator said.
“The government must act swiftly to reverse this trend before it becomes even worse.”
