A recent National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) survey reveals that two-thirds of Nigerian households lack the funds to purchase healthy, nutritious food, highlighting the country’s ongoing poverty challenges and the diminishing purchasing power due to rising costs.
The survey also found that households experience an average of 6.7 power outages per week.
Titled “Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024),” the study compares data from Wave 4 (2018/19) and Wave 5 (2023/24), covering demographics, education, and health trends.
Regarding food insecurity, the survey indicated that two-thirds of households couldn’t afford nutritious or preferred foods over the last 30 days. Additionally, 63.8% of households ate limited types of food due to financial constraints, 62.4% worried about having enough food, and 60.5% ate less than needed.
The survey also revealed a significant rise in food insecurity, with the percentage of households worried about food scarcity due to lack of money jumping from 36.9% to 62.4% between Waves 4 and 5.
On energy access, 82.2% of urban households have electricity, compared to just 40.4% in rural areas. Nigerian households experience an average of 6.7 power outages weekly.
Cooking often involves traditional three-stone stoves (65%), mainly fueled by wood (70.2%), although the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is increasing.
Many households lack proper toilet facilities and depend on tube wells or boreholes for drinking water. Waste disposal remains largely informal, with 45.6% of households using streets or bushes.
Regarding asset ownership, the survey shows a decline since 2018/19. However, two-thirds of households own mobile phones, and 21.3% have internet access. 70.4% of households own their homes, with rural ownership at 80.1%, compared to 49.1% in urban areas.
