Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria

Nigeria: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population was 24.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
24.3%
Change on year
up 7.5%
World rank
17th
of 125 countries
All-time high
24.3%
in 2023
All-time low
11.0%
in 2015
Years of data
9
2015–2023

Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria, 2015–2023

05101520252015201920232015: 11 %2016: 12.3 %2017: 13.6 %2018: 15.1 %2019: 17.3 %2020: 19.8 %2021: 21.3 %2022: 22.6 %2023: 24.3 %

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in %.

Analysis

Nigeria recorded 24.3% for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in 2023. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.

That represents a change of up 7.5% on the previous year and up 120.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria peaked at 24.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 11.0%, in 2015.

That places Nigeria 17th out of 125 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%) in Nigeria, 2015 to 2023.
Year % Change
2015 11.0%
2016 12.3% +11.8%
2017 13.6% +10.6%
2018 15.1% +11.0%
2019 17.3% +14.6%
2020 19.8% +14.5%
2021 21.3% +7.6%
2022 22.6% +6.1%
2023 24.3% +7.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 13.9% 11.0% 17.3% 5
2020s 22.0% 19.8% 24.3% 4

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 14 Cameroon 24.7% compare
  2. 14 Lesotho 24.7% compare
  3. 16 Tanzania, United Republic of 24.4% compare
  4. 18 Gambia 21.7% compare
  5. 19 Guatemala 21.3% compare
  6. 20 Ethiopia 19.0% compare

See the full ranking of 148 places →

More health data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria?
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria was 24.3% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
What is the highest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 24.3% in 2023.
What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 11.0% in 2015.
How does Nigeria rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population?
Nigeria ranks 17th out of 125 countries with data for 2023.
Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 120.9%. 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 severe food insecurity in the population (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-severe-food-insecurity-in-the-population-percent/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%)
Unit
%
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
148 places, 1,295 data points, 2014–2024
Last refreshed

The percentage of people in the population who live in households classified as severely food insecure. A household is classified as severely food insecure when at least one adult in the household has reported to have been exposed, at times during the year, to several of the most severe experiences described in the FIES questions, such as to have been forced to reduce the quantity of the food, to have skipped meals, having gone hungry, or having to go for a whole day without eating because of a lack of money or other resources.