*Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics, in a recent survey, reports that lack of money has left two-thirds of Nigerian households struggling with the provision of healthy and nutritional meals, just as the Food and Agriculture Organisation says global nutrition prices hit 18-month high October 2024

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The National Bureau of Statistics, in a recent survey, has disclosed how lack of money has left two-thirds of households in Nigeria struggling with the provision of healthy and nutritional meals for members.

The report of the NBS survey titled, 鈥淣igeria General Household Survey 鈥� Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024)”, indicated an apparent reflection of the multidimensional poverty in the country, and the impact of continuous reduction in the purchasing power of Nigerians due to rising prices of goods and services.

The report also showed that households in the West African country experience average of 6.7 power blackouts per week.

On consumption of healthy, nutritious or preferred foods

According to NBS, in regard to food insecurity, the survey report discovered “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.”

Likewise, the report indicated that 63.8 percent of households ate only a few kinds of food due to lack of money, while 62.4 percent were worried about not having enough food to eat, and 60.5 percent ate less than they thought they should.

It further stated: “Between Waves 4 and 5, the proportion of households that reported being worried about not having enough food to eat because of lack of money increased significantly, from 36.9 percent to 62.4 percent.鈥�

As regards Nigerian consumers’ access to energy, the NBS survey also showed that 鈥�82.2 percent of urban households have electricity, compared to 40.4 percent in rural areas.

Nigerian households face an average of 6.7 power blackouts weekly, it said.

The NBS noted: 鈥淐ooking typically involves traditional three-stone stoves (65.0 percent), primarily using wood as fuel (70.2 percent), but with use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) rising significantly.

鈥淢any households lack toilet facilities and rely on tube wells or boreholes for drinking water. Waste disposal is mostly informal, with 45.6 percent of households using bushes or streets.鈥�

In terms of asset ownership, the Bureau’s survey indicated the 鈥渙verall asset ownership has declined since 2018/19.

However, two-thirds of households have mobile phones, and about 21.3 percent access the Internet.

鈥淭he survey shows that 70.4 percent of households own their homes, with rural ownership at 80.1 percent, compared to 49.1 percent in urban areas.鈥�

FAO FPI: Global food prices hit 18-month high

In a related development, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Food Price Index (FPI) Friday, November 29, 2024 revealed that global food prices rose, hitting their highest level in 18 months October 2024, with a sharp increase in the cost of vegetable oil.

The FAO is an agency of the United Nations (UN).

The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in international prices of a basket of food commodities, reached 127.4 points last month, a two-percent increase from September, agency report said.

It was the highest since April 2023 but still 20.5 percent lower than the peak reached in March 2022, following Russia鈥檚 invasion of agricultural powerhouse Ukraine.

The FPI noted that vegetable oil prices increased by 7.3 per cent October this year, reaching a two-year high due to lower production.

FAO also stated that Sugar prices rose 2.6 percent, dairy was up 2.5 percent, and cereals gained 0.8 percent.

Meat was the only commodity to fall, down 0.3 percent from the previous month, report stated.

Kindly Share This Story