Faced with economic pandemonium and food insecurity, Nigerian children are bearing the brunt. As the cost of living keeps skyrocketing, the prices of foods and food-related products are also rising. Worse still, more farmers abandoning their trade due to insecurity, access to foods for most Nigerian families have become a luxury.
Before now, the story around the nutrition and proper feeding of Nigerian children has remained a stark contrast between the privileged and the marginalised.
Many Nigerian families sleep on an empty stomach. Sadly, the current situation has further worsened the plight of the majority of Nigerians. Affording a meal a day has become serious struggle for most families.
The cost of the so-called popular local foods such as garri, and beans, known as food for poor Nigerians has quadrupled and is now as much as 10 times higher in some areas, putting these Nigerians in more difficult situations.
The increasing food insecurity has particularly impacted vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, children, and those strictly on prescribed diets.
Many families are forced to make wrong choices of foods irrespective of their nutritional value, while others are resorting to 0-1-0 eating pattern.
Cost of foods and related products
Findings by Vanguard showed that the cheapest 50kg bag of rice is as high as N85, 000 depending on the area and brand. A refill of 12.5 kg cooking gas cylinder costs as high as N16, 000, depending on where you are buying it from.
A measure of the cheapest beans costs as much as N10, 000. Some of the commonest vegetables, popularly known as ugu (pumpkin leaf), waterleaf and Oha for the Igbo-speaking part of the country, have nothing to do with exchange rate as cost starts from N500. The smallest loaf of bread starts from N300 to family sized loaf of N3, 500 depending on the area.
However, statistics obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, on selected food prices to watch released on November 24, 2024, showed a continued increase in prices of food items.
In October 2024, it showed that the average price of 1kg beans (brown), stood at N2,798.50, indicating a rise of 254.23 percent in price on a year-on-year basis from N790.01 recorded in October 2023 and a 2.19 percent rise in price on a month-on-month basis from N2,738.59 in September 2024.
Also, agricultural eggs medium size (12 pieces) experienced significant price increases year on year by N140.21 per cent from N1,112.22 in October of last year (2023) to N2,671.60 in October 2024.
On a month-on-month basis, the average price of the item rose by 7.42 per cent from N 2,487.04 in September 2024.
The NBS also showed that there was a notable price increase of bread(sliceda ) by 103.76 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N760.82 in October 2023 to N1,550.24 in October 2024. On a month-on-month basis, it increased president cent from N 1,528.19 in September 2024.
“Furthermore, the average price of 1kg Local rice sold loose went up by 137.32 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N819.42 in October 2023 to N1,944.64 in October 2024, while there was an increase of 1.56 percent on a month-on-month basis. Also, the average price of 1kg of beef boneless, increased by 98.73 percent on a year-on-year basis from N2,948.03 in October 2023 to N5,858.58 in October 2024. On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 3.99 percent from N5,633.60 in September 2024.”
The alarming surge in malnutrition cases across Nigeria has become a pressing concern. Families are grappling with the rising cost of food, forcing many to make difficult choices and compromise their nutritional needs. Mary Emordi, a widow and mother of two, is one such example. She recounts the heartbreaking reality of struggling to provide even a single meal for her children.
A sachet water hawker, at the Mile 2, Mary can no longer continue with her trade, her meagre capital has been used to feed her children. The escalating prices of essential commodities have pushed her to the brink of financial ruin, leaving her unable to sustain her trading business. Her two children sometimes go to bed on an empty stomach. “It is no longer about nourished foods; it is about ensuring that at least the children have food in their stomach before going to bed. Sometimes, I have to choose between buying nourished foods and just getting any food that can fill their stomach. Considering their young age, it’s a heart-breaking decision to make, “Mary told Vanguard, in tears.
The sight of these two children at the Mile 2 Bridge, where their mother kept them under the scorching sun to hawk sachet water, could bring tears to the stone-hearted. These children are being deprived of their right to education, play, and a safe childhood. They are also exposed to various risks, including physical harm, exploitation, and social isolation.
Their story is not unique. Millions of Nigerian families face similar challenges. The high cost of foods, coupled with limited access to nutritious foods, particularly among poor Nigerians, has led to a public health crisis.
Findings by Vanguard showed that many Nigerians are struggling to afford basic food needs, leading to malnutrition, increased mortality rates, and a surge in poor performance of school children.
One of the immediate causes of malnutrition, according to nutritionists is access to food. They say food insecurity is one of the major drivers of malnutrition and the current situation in the country would result to further increase in child malnutrition with further extension to adult malnutrition challenge.
Burden of malnutrition
The 2023 National Demographic Health Survey, NDHS, shows that stunting which was 37 per cent in 2018 has risen to 40 per cent while wasting rose from 7 per cent to 8 per cent and underweight 22 per cent to 27 per cent.
While official statistics including the recent NDHS may not fully capture the extent of the problem, Nigeria is facing a severe hunger and malnutrition crisis. A growing number of Nigerians are struggling to access nutritious food, leading to a decline in overall health and well-being.
Nutrients contained in foods are fast disappearing from the table of Nigerians as families no longer have access to quality meals that supply their daily nutrients. The country risks having more stunted, and wasted children that may not contribute to the GDP of the country in future. No thanks to food insecurity. Rather, the country may not escape spending more money on Read-To-Use Therapeutic Foods, RUTF, to treat the impact of malnutrition because Nigerian children have no access to nutritious food.
According to experts, malnutrition which is the deficiencies or excesses in nutrient intake most times occur when children do not have access to food materials that enable them to grow, maintain themselves and reproduce. Also, nutrition is also the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life. Malnutrition manifests in form of wasting, stunting, overweight and underweight. Micronutrient deficiences called hidden hunger is also a problem in children who don’t have adequate access to foods. These children are at risk of Vitamin A, Iodine, Zinc, and Iron deficiencies.
For 12- year- old Bukola, a simple meal of rice and beans used to be the norm after school. But now, with the rising cost of rice, her family struggles to afford even the basic staples. Her mother often skips meals to ensure Bukola and her siblings eat, but the hunger situation is becoming worst for the family. Bukola can no longer concentrate in school, often feeling tired and listless. The situation has become so bad that Bukola is gradually losing her childhood. Instead of playing with friends and enjoying her childhood, she spends her days hawking snacks on the streets to help her family make ends meet. Sadly, the meager income she earns is barely enough to cover their daily expenses. Bukola often goes without food for long hours to allow her two younger brothers to eat.
“Sometimes, I skip school to help my mother who sells fruits at Mushin,” she said tearfully.
Dolapo, an 11-year-old girl has experienced the horrors of conflict and displacement that forced her family to flee their home due to insecurity.
Her family works as daily wage labourers. When there’s no work, they struggle to afford even basic meals. As the eldest child, she often skips meals to ensure his younger siblings eat. He has become malnourished and frequently falls sick.
Dalopo who lives in Ejigbo area of Lagos, often helps her mother by foraging for food at the bus stop or scavenging from garbage bins.
“Sometimes, my stomach aches from eating spoiled or contaminated food.” According to her, she often wakes up at night with nightmares of hunger and fear for her future. Dolapo longs for a normal life, where she can go to school and eat a full meal without worry.
Reasons for rising food insecurity
In an exclusive interview, the Executive Secretary of the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SSUN), Mr. Sunday Okoronkwo, alerted that food insecurity in Nigeria is at alarming levels, driven by a combination of rising insecurity, economic instability, and skyrocketing inflation.
Okoronkwo highlighted the far-reaching impacts of these crises, including hunger, malnutrition, and increased social unrest.
He said the truth is that insecurity and food insecurity in Nigeria are very high, pointing to the escalating cost of living, which has made farming unaffordable for many Nigerians. “Farming is no longer a viable option for many farmers, and this directly affects the availability of food for the country,” he added.
He warned that the impact of food insecurity is multi-faceted. He explained that hunger not only leads to poor health outcomes, such as malnutrition in both children and adults, but also contributes to crime and violence.
“Hungry People may resort to illegal activities to survive. Hunger also drives many young people into criminal groups or terrorist organisations, particularly in the northern regions of Nigeria where food production has been severely disrupted by insecurity.”
Okoronkwo noted that food insecurity exacerbates malnutrition, which remains a significant challenge in Nigeria. Recent data from the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), show that stunting rates among Nigerian children have worsened from 37 per cent in 2018 to 40 per cent in 2023. He attributed this rise to the increasing difficulty families face in accessing nutritious food, driven by both economic instability and the escalating cost of basic goods.
“The situation is dire. The rising cost of fuel has pushed up food prices, making it even harder for families to access quality meals. The dollar exchange rate and fuel price hikes have compounded this issue, affecting everything from transportation to food production.”
Okoronkwo called on the Nigerian government to reconsider its policy on fuel prices, which he believes is at the root of the nation’s food inflation crisis.
“If the government can reduce fuel prices, it will have a ripple effect on lowering food prices. Fuel is essential for transporting food and producing the goods that Nigerians rely on. Without addressing this, it will be difficult to reverse the growing food insecurity,” he argued.
Despite the challenges, Okoronkwo urged Nigerians to be proactive in securing food for their families. “I advise Nigerian parents to diversify their income sources. If possible, engage in farming or start a small garden at home to ensure a steady supply of food. While the government has a duty to ensure food security, families must also take responsibility for their own well-being.”
Okoronkwo stressed the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s food security issues, which are directly linked to the nation’s overall economic health and future growth.
“Without stable access to nutritious food, the country’s workforce will continue to suffer, leading to lower productivity and ultimately affecting Nigeria’s GDP.”
Implications of food insecurity for Nigerian children
According to experts, children facing food insecurity are more likely to suffer from malnutrition, which can lead to stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and cognitive impairment. They are also more susceptible to diseases, which can further worsen their health and hinder their development.
Again, hunger and fatigue make it difficult for children to concentrate in school, leading to poor academic performance and increased dropout rates. Food insecurity can cause anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems in children. In the long term, food insecurity can limit children’s future opportunities, affecting their ability to secure employment and contribute to society.
In an exclusive interview with the Representative of UNICEF in Nigeria, Ms. Cristian Munduate said 2 out of 3 Nigerian children currently experiencing food poverty, adding that the situation is dire.
She said food poverty not only deprives children of essential nutrients required for physical growth but also severely impacts their cognitive and intellectual development.
She said the skyrocketing cost of food has made balanced diets unattainable for many households while ongoing conflicts limit farming activities, disrupt food transportation, and restrict market access, particularly in the northwestern and northeastern regions.
Munduate said this year; over 2.1 million Nigerian children are projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, and requiring immediate medical intervention.
“Nearly 45 per cent of children under five are stunted, a condition that causes irreversible damage to brain development, impairing cognitive abilities and future learning potential.
According to Munduate, malnourished children struggle to focus and learn, leading to poor academic performance. With three out of four Nigerian children unable to read or perform basic arithmetic, malnutrition is a critical driver of the country’s educational crisis.
Malnutrition weakens children’s immune systems, increasing their vulnerability to diseases like diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid fever.
A Nutrition and Dietetics Consultant at OAUTHC, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, who paints a grim picture of the devastating consequences of food insecurity in Nigeria warned that: “Food insecurity is the direct opposite of food security and when there’s food insecurity, it poses a grave danger to the population, especially to the vulnerable groups which include pregnant women, children, and the aged.
He stressed that the impact of the current crisis is far-reaching as children and pregnant women, already vulnerable, face a host of health risks. “Pregnant women would be exposed to low pregnancy weight, frequent illness and unnecessary infections, high mortality.
Ogbonna explained that if they manage to carry their pregnancies to term, the outcome is often tragic, resulting to low birth weight babies, ‘whose birth weights are less than 2.2kg at birth, with its attendant medical complications like low intelligent quotient, retarded growth, failure to thrive, and develop.”
He said the effects of malnutrition extend beyond the individual, burdening society as a whole. “Stunting, wasting, social and economic burden would be the end result,” Ogbonna warned.
He said despite Nigeria’s abundant natural resources, man-made crises such as insecurity, banditry, and kidnapping have hindered agricultural production, driving up food prices and exacerbating food insecurity. To address the urgent issue, Ogbonna proposed a two-pronged approach, saying addressing the root causes of insecurity, such as providing adequate security measures for farmers, was crucial to ensuring a stable food supply.
He also recommended offering of incentives, provision of basic amenities and infrastructure in rural areas, to encourage farmers to remain in their communities and continue producing food. (Punch)