According to a report by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, about two out of three Nigerian families are going hungry, with some families skipping meals because they cannot afford enough food.
The number of families that reported not having enough food to eat because of lack of money doubled to 62.4% in 2023 from 37% in 2019, according to the report, published Thursday on the website of the NBS (National Bureau of Statistics).
“Furthermore, 12.3% reported that at least one person in the household went without eating for a whole day,” the report said, underscoring the impact of food inflation that peaked at a near-three-decade high 41% in June. About 21% of households rely on help from friends or relatives, it said.
Poor nutrition is already causing physical repercussions such as stunted growth, with one-quarter of boys and girls classified as underweight for their age, up from 19% four years earlier.
President Bola Tinubu’s reforms are driving up food costs, with annual inflation reaching 33.9% in October. Since taking office in May 2023, Tinubu has relaxed currency regulations, causing the naira to depreciate by 72%. He has also cut subsidies for petrol and electricity, causing prices to more than double.
While international investors, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund have praised the reforms, they sparked protests in August when Nigerians flooded the streets to protest increased food prices.
In a second report published this week, the statistics office stated that the average cost of a healthy diet has increased by 30% in the five months ending in September.
