Increasing Food Prices Threatens the Nutrition Needs of Nigerian Children

There are considerable increases in the price of food items since January 2020. This is according to the data from the April Food Price Watch of the National Bureau of Statistics. On a general note, the report reflected that the price of one dozen egg increased year-on-year by 2.04 percent.

For imported rice, a kilogram sold there is a recorded percentage increase of 31.97. This is also on a year-on-year basis. Likewise, the average price of a kilogram of tomato increased year-on-year by 7.68 percent. The average price of yam tuber also increased year-on-year by 3.48 percent.

But, price analysis of food items that supply basic nutritional needs raises concerns about the fate of the Nigerian child. This is because the price increases may worsen the situation for the Nigerian child. Moreover, it has consequences to further sink the country’s health indicators.

On top of this, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in income distortion and economic hardship, a traceable effect being the reduction of the purchasing power for many households. Also, the forced lockdown, there have been controversies about the national school feeding program. This already suggests that it is difficult to achieve the aim of the scheme during this period.

To provide a clearer understanding of the situation, DATAPHYTE analysed 14 of the food items. These items are egg, beans, beef, bread, milk, garri, groundnut oil, fish, maize, plantain, rice, tomato, vegetable oil, and yam. We selected the cheapest alternative for each item from the price watch basket. This is to provide an inclusive illustration of affordability. Of these 14 items identified, only the price for ‘white black eye’ beans reduced by 6.8 percent between January and April 2020.

For the rest, the range of price increase was from 0.75 percent to 19.19 percent within the period of the survey. Price for medium size Agric eggs increased by 4.96 percent. Boneless beef increased in price by 1.39 percent. The price of bread has increased by 4.41 percent. Evaporated tinned milk increased by 2.46 percent. 

Selected percentage increases in price.

While some price changes appear marginal, the realities in Nigeria make them worrisome. For instance, 2.6 million Nigerians in the North-East were facing worse food insecurity and hunger as of 2019.

UNICEF reported about 2 million Nigerian children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Likewise, seven percent of women in the childbearing age also suffer from acute malnutrition. In fact, Nigeria has the second-highest burden of stunted children in the world. This is with a national prevalence rate of 32 percent of children under five.

Amidst this is the reality that over 80 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty and spend less than a dollar a day. As a result, the satisfaction of the nutritional needs of Nigerian children may remain impossible if urgent steps are not taken.

To salvage the situation, the government needs to step in with different relief packages. One of these might include providing or extending the coverage of food reliefs to the most vulnerable households. Also, it can provide food subsidy to cover for the increases in food prices during this pandemic. Funds saved from removal of petrol subsidy can be used to increase agricultural production. Close to this is providing infrastructure to improve the efficiency of the storage and distribution of agricultural products across the country.