Two-Thirds of Nigerian Households Unable to Afford Healthy, Nutritious Meals — NBS

A new survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has highlighted the severe challenges facing Nigerian households, reflecting the growing multidimensional poverty in the country. The report, part of the “Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024),” reveals that two-thirds of households are unable to afford healthy and nutritious food due to financial constraints.

According to the survey, 63.8% of households could only afford limited food types, while 62.4% reported anxiety over food insufficiency. Furthermore, 60.5% acknowledged eating less than they believed necessary. This marks a significant increase in food insecurity compared to Wave 4 (2018/19), where only 36.9% of households expressed concerns over food availability.

The report also underscores the country’s energy crisis, with households experiencing an average of 6.7 power blackouts per week. While 82.2% of urban households have access to electricity, this figure drops sharply to 40.4% in rural areas. Most cooking is still done on traditional three-stone stoves (65.0%), using wood as the primary fuel (70.2%), though the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is on the rise.

Other findings highlight inadequate infrastructure, with many households lacking toilet facilities and depending on boreholes or tube wells for drinking water. Informal waste disposal remains prevalent, with 45.6% of households discarding waste in bushes or streets.

Despite these challenges, the survey notes that 70.4% of households own their homes, with rural areas having an 80.1% ownership rate compared to 49.1% in urban areas. Mobile phone ownership remains widespread at two-thirds of households, while internet access stands at 21.3%. However, overall asset ownership has declined since 2018/19.