Analysis of the Effect of Socioeconomic Factors on Household Food Security Status in Urban and Peri-Urban Ibadan, South West Nigeria

Food insecurity in urban Nigeria is a complex phenomenon driven by intersecting socioeconomic factors including income volatility, food price inflation, household size, and access to productive assets. Ibadan, Nigeria's largest indigenous city and a rapidly expanding urban agglomeration in South West Nigeria, presents marked contrasts between core urban and peri-urban food security conditions. This study analysed the effect of socioeconomic factors on household food security status in urban and peri-urban Ibadan. A cross-sectional survey design was applied to 480 households selected by multistage cluster sampling from four urban and three peri-urban Local Government Areas. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale was used to classify food security status. Socioeconomic variables assessed included monthly household income, education level of household head, household size, occupational category, land ownership, and access to credit. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify independent predictors. Results showed that 47 percent of urban and 62 percent of peri-urban households were food insecure at moderate to severe levels. Household income below 30,000 Naira per month (OR: 3.86), large household size above six members (OR: 2.41), and absence of land ownership (OR: 1.98) were the strongest independent predictors of food insecurity. Education of household head was protective at tertiary level. Peri-urban location was independently associated with higher food insecurity odds after adjustment. The study recommends integrated social protection and urban food systems interventions targeting the identified vulnerability profiles in Ibadan. Keywords: food security, socioeconomic factors, Ibadan, household, urban agriculture.