Katsina survey: 88% of households eat 1-3 food types daily, 61% of births at home

A recent government survey in Nigeria's Katsina State paints a stark picture of limited dietary diversity and significant gaps in maternal healthcare, particularly affecting poorer and rural populations.

The 2025 Katsina State General Household Survey indicates that nearly nine in 10 households subsist on just one to three types of food daily. This limited variety is more pronounced among the poorest quintile, where 96.8% of households reported such consumption, but even the wealthiest quintile saw 68.4% consuming only one to three food types.

Furthermore, the survey highlights a critical issue in maternal health, with 61% of recent births occurring at home. Access to antenatal care and facility-based deliveries is substantially lower for women in poorer households and rural areas compared to their wealthier counterparts.

These findings, unveiled alongside new policy documents, are intended to provide a baseline for the state's planning, budgeting, and targeting of public interventions. The survey covered 10,269 households across all 34 local government areas, employing a stratified sampling method. The state government noted its increased investment in nutrition, with over ₦1.7 billion allocated to interventions, alongside ₦500 million in counterpart funding for development partner programs.