In a troubling revelation amidst mounting security challenges and skyrocketing food prices, a recent report unveils that merely 21% of Nigerian households can be considered food secure.
The 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrients Survey, jointly launched in Abuja by the Federal government alongside international collaborators and local stakeholders in the food industry, brings to light the stark reality of food insecurity plaguing the nation.
Shockingly, a staggering 79% of households across Nigeria find themselves in the throes of food insecurity, with 59% categorized as moderately food insecure and a distressing 20% classified as severely food insecure.
During the report’s unveiling, Dr. Olarinwaju Isiaka, one of the researchers involved, highlighted that a concerning 41.5% of households lacked the financial means to procure food in the seven days preceding the survey, with an additional 4% scraping by with very little. Notably, the study honed in on women of reproductive age, children aged 0-59 months, and adolescent girls.
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Beyond the realm of food security, the report sheds light on the sanitation crisis gripping the nation, revealing that approximately 23% of households in Nigeria lack access to basic toilet facilities.
Further dissecting the findings, the report underscores that 62.9% of households have access to improved water sources, with an additional 42.6% relying on borehole water systems, while a mere 17.40% have access to protected well water.
When examined through a geopolitical lens, it becomes apparent that the South East and South South regions grapple with the lowest percentage of piped water access but boast the highest penetration of borehole systems. Conversely, the Western and Northern regions exhibit better water access, closely followed by the South South.
Dr. Michael Ojo, the Country Director of GAIN, expressed deep concern over the stagnation and regression in water supply, emphasizing a worrying decline from 11% to a dismal 1.1% over the span of a decade. He attributed Nigeria’s persistent food system challenges to disjointed efforts among stakeholders, stressing the urgent need for concerted action to address the systemic issues. Dr. Ojo emphasized the importance of a holistic approach encompassing pre- and post-food system considerations to effect lasting change.
