Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria
Nigeria: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population was 74.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria, 2015–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in %.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 74.8% for prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in 2023. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 115.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria peaked at 74.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 34.7%, in 2015.
That places Nigeria 8th out of 126 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 34.7% | — |
| 2016 | 38.7% | +11.5% |
| 2017 | 42.8% | +10.6% |
| 2018 | 47.1% | +10.0% |
| 2019 | 53.5% | +13.6% |
| 2020 | 62.9% | +17.6% |
| 2021 | 69.7% | +10.8% |
| 2022 | 73.9% | +6.0% |
| 2023 | 74.8% | +1.2% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 74.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 42.4%, 1.8× the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 74.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59.2%, 1.3× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 43.4% | 34.7% | 53.5% | 5 |
| 2020s | 70.3% | 62.9% | 74.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 5 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 81.5% compare
- 6 Afghanistan 80.8% compare
- 6 Liberia 80.8% compare
- 9 Kenya 73.9% compare
- 10 Yemen 73.0% compare
- 11 Madagascar 72.6% compare
More health data for Nigeria
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8137 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,301 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 257,921 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 14 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0711 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria?
- Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria was 74.8% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 74.8% in 2023.
- What is the lowest prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.7% in 2015.
- How does Nigeria rank for prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population?
- Nigeria ranks 8th out of 126 countries with data for 2023.
- Is prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 115.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of people in the population who live in households classified as moderately or severely food insecure. A household is classified as moderately or severely food insecure when at least one adult in the household has reported to have been exposed, at times during the year, to low quality diets and might have been forced to also reduce the quantity of food they would normally eat because of a lack of money or other resources.