Urban Nigeria Research Articles

"Sometimes You Get Good Ones, and Sometimes You Get Not-so-Good Ones": Vendors' and Consumers' Strategies to Identify and Mitigate Food Safety Risks in Urban Nigeria.

This paper uses detailed data from in-depth interviews with consumers (n = 47) and vendors (n = 37) in three traditional markets in Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria. We used observations from those markets to examine how consumers and vendors identify and avoid or manage food safety risks and whom they hold responsible and trust when it comes to ensuring food safety. At the level of the vendor, consumers mentioned seeking “clean” or “neat” vendors or stalls. Cleanliness was primarily related to the appearance of the vendor, stall, and surroundings; reliance on trusted, known vendors was also noted. Food products themselves were largely evaluated based on visual cues: insects, holes, and colors—with some reliance on smell, also. Similarly, vendors assessed safety of food from suppliers based on a visual assessment or reliance on trusted relationships. On the second research question, both consumers and vendors largely placed responsibility for ensuring food safety on government; when asked specifically, consumers also named specific steps that vendors could take to ensure food safety. Consumers and vendors also generally felt that they could limit many food safety risks through identifying the “good” products in the market or from suppliers. The paper discusses the implications of these results for behavior change interventions.

Tuberculosis care quality in urban Nigeria: A cross-sectional study of adherence to screening and treatment initiation guidelines in multi-cadre networks of private health service providers.

Nigeria has a high burden of tuberculosis (TB) and low case detection rates. Nigeria's large private health sector footprint represents an untapped resource for combating the disease. To examine the quality of private sector contributions to TB, the USAID-funded Sustaining Health Outcomes through the Private Sector (SHOPS) Plus program evaluated adherence to national standards for management of presumptive and confirmed TB among the clinical facilities, laboratories, pharmacies, and drug shops it trained to deliver TB services. The study used a standardized patient (SP) survey methodology to measure case management protocol adherence among 837 private and 206 public providers in urban Lagos and Kano. It examined two different scenarios: a "textbook" case of presumptive TB and a treatment initiation case where SPs presented as referred patients with confirmed TB diagnoses. Private sector results were benchmarked against public sector results. A bottleneck analysis examined protocol adherence departures at key points along the case management sequence that providers were trained to follow. Except for laboratories, few providers met the criteria for fully correct management of presumptive TB, though more than 70% of providers correctly engaged in TB screening. In the treatment initiation case 18% of clinical providers demonstrated fully correct case management. Private and public providers' adherence was not significantly different. Bottleneck analysis revealed that the most common deviations from correct management were failure to initiate sputum collection for presumptive patients and failure to conduct sufficiently thorough treatment initiation counseling for confirmed patients. This study found the quality of private providers' TB case management to be comparable to public providers in Nigeria, as well as to providers in other high burden countries. Findings support continued efforts to include private providers in Nigeria's national TB program. Though most providers fell short of desired quality, the bottleneck analysis points to specific issues that TB stakeholders can feasibly address with system- and provider-level interventions.

Influence of family planning and immunization services integration on contraceptive use and family planning information and knowledge among clients: A cross-sectional analysis in urban Nigeria

Influence of family planning and immunization services integration on contraceptive use and family planning information and knowledge among clients: A cross-sectional analysis in urban Nigeria

Nigerian migrants: Pursuing the dream at any cost

Nigerian youth constitute one of the largest populations among migrants travelling from countries of the Global South to Europe. Why are these young people deciding to leave their country? Are they aware of the dangers they may encounter en route? These questions formed the basis for my study, Irregular Migration as Survival Strategy: Narratives from Youth in Urban Nigeria, published in 2019.

Breastfeeding Interpersonal Communication and Mobile Phone Support by Private Health Care Providers in Lagos, Nigeria Increased Exclusive Breastfeeding at 6 and 24 Weeks

ObjectivesInterventions to improve breastfeeding practices have not been tested in private facilities in Nigeria, although most urban facilities are private. The objective of this study was to measure the impact of Alive & Thrive’s intervention on breastfeeding intentions, early initiation of breastfeeding, and exclusive breastfeeding among clients of private facilities in Lagos, Nigeria. MethodsThe intervention included breastfeeding interpersonal communication during facility visits, breastfeeding text/WhatsApp messages, WhatsApp support groups, and social behavior change communication materials. Logistic regression models adjusted for clustering were used to detect differences in a cohort of women (N = 1,200) at 10 intervention and 10 comparison facilities interviewed during their third trimester and at 6 and 24 weeks postpartum. ResultsDuring pregnancy, intention to exclusively breastfeed at 6 weeks postpartum was 92% in both study arms, but more women in the intervention than comparison arm intended to exclusively breastfeed at 24 weeks postpartum (78% intervention, 64% comparison, p < 0.001). Early initiation of breastfeeding did not differ by study arm (35% intervention, 33% comparison). More women in the intervention than comparison arm exclusively breastfed at 6 weeks (83% intervention, 76% comparison, p = 0.02) and 24 weeks postpartum (66% intervention, 52% comparison, p < 0.001). Among women exclusively breastfeeding at 6 weeks, the odds of continued exclusive breastfeeding at 24 weeks was higher in the intervention than comparison arm (OR 1.6, p = 0.005). ConclusionsA breastfeeding intervention implemented in private health facilities in Lagos increased exclusive breastfeeding intentions and practices. Widespread implementation of breastfeeding interventions in private facilities could extend the reach of breastfeeding promotion programs in urban Nigeria. Funding SourcesThis research was funded by the Alive & Thrive initiative, managed by FHI Solutions, and currently funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Irish Aid, the Tanoto Foundation, UNICEF, and the World Bank.

Silver nanoparticles biosynthesized from Parthenium hysterophorus leaves extract: larvicidal and antibacterial activities

Aim: The study was done to determine malaria prevention and treatment practices among care-givers of under-fives in urban slums South-East Nigeria. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study involving 145 care-givers of under-fives recruited via multistage sampling method using a semi-structured questionnaire in selected urban slums of Enugu north LGA of Enugu state. Results: The prevalence of Malaria prevention and treatment practice was 19.3% and 17% respectively. Association between the age group of the under-five and the malaria prevention practice was (p=0.034) while the associations between the age of care-givers’ spouse, educational level of caregivers’ spouse and malaria treatment practice in under five was also statistically significant with p-values of 0.003 and 0.047 respectively. Conclusion: Malaria prevention and treatment practice among care-givers of the under-fives was low. Hence, the need for the government, non-governmental organizations and health care workers to collaborate so as to improve malaria outcome in the Nigeria society.

The Igbo Brief Illness Perceptions Questionnaire: A cross-cultural adaptation and validation study in Nigerian populations with chronic low back pain.

Illness perceptions predict chronic low back pain (CLBP) disability. This study cross-culturally adapted and validated the Igbo Brief Illness Perceptions Questionnaire (Igbo-BIPQ) in people with CLBP in rural/urban Nigeria. A cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Igbo-BIPQ was undertaken. The BIPQ was forward/back-translated by clinical/non-clinical translators. An expert review committee appraised the translations. The questionnaire was pre-tested on twelve rural Nigerian dwellers with CLBP. Internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha; test-retest reliability using intra-class correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman plot; and minimal detectable change were investigated amongst 50 people with CLBP in rural and urban Nigeria. Construct validity was determined by correlating the Igbo-BIPQ score with those of eleven-point box scale and Igbo Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (Igbo-RMDQ) using Pearson's correlation analyses in 200 adults with CLBP in rural Nigeria. Ceiling and floor effects were investigated in both samples. Good face/content validity, internal consistency (α= 0.76) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC = 0.78); standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change of 5.44 and 15.08 respectively; moderate correlations with pain intensity and self-reported disability (r⩾ 0.4); no ceiling/floor effects were observed for Igbo-BIPQ. This study provides evidence of some aspects of validity and reliability of the Igbo-BIPQ.

HOUSEHOLDS’ RESILIENCE TO COVID 19 PANDEMIC IN NIGERIA: WAY FORWARD

The impact of the current global pandemic on households’ economy in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. Undoubtedly, households’ resilience is threatened by the global pandemic that has ravaged the means of survival of people in both urban and rural areas. The onset of the lockdown that affected all individuals put setback on economic activities and this impacted negatively on the income of households. The already dwindling economy of households, especially those in rural areas become hampered thereby enhancing vulnerability. The poor becomes poorer because there is no back up that the poor could easily fall on. Also, the capacity to recover and adapt become impaired. The emergence of COVID 19 has implication for food security sustainability among households. This study employed the use of secondary sources to examine the vulnerability of households to the global pandemic and the ramifications of the effect of COVID 19 on households’ economy in the rural and urban areas of Nigeria. Containment strategies (such as innovative information system delivery, interest free loan especially to entrepreneurs, sensitization and promotion of home gardening particularly in urban, among others) that could stimulate households’ resilience or foster quick economic recovery in urban and rural Nigeria in the bid to ensure food security and livelihood sustainability were suggested.

Abnormal birth weight in urban Nigeria: An examination of related factors.

There is a knowledge gap on abnormal birth weight in urban Nigeria where specific community contexts can have a significant impact on a child's health. Abnormal birth weight, classified into low birth weight and high birth weight, is often associated with adverse health outcomes and a leading risk for neonatal morbidity and mortality. The study used datasets from the birth recode file of 2013 and 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS); a weighted sample of pooled 9,244 live births by 7,951 mothers within ten years (2008-2018) in urban Nigeria. The effects of individual, healthcare utilization and community-level variables on the two abnormal birth weight categories were explored with a multinomial logistic regression models using normal birth weight as a reference group. In urban Nigeria, the overall prevalence of ABW was 18.3%; high birth weight accounted for the majority (10.7%) of infants who were outside the normal birth weight range. Predictors of LBW were community (region), child characteristic (the type of birth) and household (wealth index) while that of HBW were community (regions), child characteristics (birth intervals and sex), maternal characteristic (education) and healthcare utilization (ANC registration). LBW was significantly more prevalent in the northern part while HBW was more common in the southern part of urban Nigeria. This pattern conforms to the expected north-south dichotomy in health indicators and outcomes. These differences can be linked to suggested variation in regional exposure to urbanization in Nigeria.

World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0): development and validation of the Nigerian Igbo version in patients with chronic low back pain

BackgroundGlobally, the leading cause of years lived with disability is low back pain (LBP). Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is responsible for most of the cost and disability associated with LBP. This is more devastating in low income countries, particularly in rural Nigeria with one of the greatest global burdens of LBP. No Igbo back pain specific measure captures remunerative or non-remunerative work outcomes. Disability measurement using these tools may not fully explain work-related disability and community participation, a limitation not evident in the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0). This study aimed to cross-culturally adapt the WHODAS 2.0 and validate it in rural and urban Nigerian populations with CLBP.MethodsTranslation, cultural adaptation, test–retest, and cross-sectional psychometric testing was performed. WHODAS 2.0 was forward and back translated by clinical/non-clinical translators. Expert review committee evaluated the translations. Twelve people with CLBP in a rural Nigerian community piloted/pre-tested the questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha assessing internal consistency; intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland–Altman plots assessing test–retest reliability; and minimal detectable change were investigated in a convenience sample of 50 adults with CLBP in rural and urban Nigeria. Construct validity was examined using Spearman’s correlation analyses with the back-performance scale, Igbo Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire and eleven-point box scale; and exploratory factor analysis in a random sample of 200 adults with CLBP in rural Nigeria. Ceiling and floor effects were investigated in both samples.ResultsPatient instructions were also translated. ‘Waist pain/lower back pain’ was added to ‘illness(es)’ to make the measure relevant for this study whilst allowing for future studies involving other conditions. The Igbo phrase for ‘family and friends’ was used to better represent ‘people close to you’ in item D4.3. The Igbo-WHODAS had good internal consistency (α = 0.75–0.97); intra class correlation coefficients (ICC = 0.81–0.93); standard error of measurements (5.05–11.10) and minimal detectable change (13.99–30.77). Igbo-WHODAS correlated moderately with performance-based disability, self-reported back pain-specific disability and pain intensity, with a seven-factor structure and no floor and ceiling effects.ConclusionsIgbo-WHODAS appears psychometrically sound. Its research and clinical utility require further testing.

Demographic considerations and food security in Nigeria

Close to 14 million people in Nigeria, including children, are malnourished. I hypothesize that demographic considerations play an important role in food insecurity within Nigerian households. Using data from three waves of the World Bank’s Living Standard Measurement Survey for Nigeria, I illustrate spatial patterns of food security in the country. Using fixed effects regressions, I also show that, at the household level, larger households have worse food security outcomes and are more likely to report being food insecure. Children from large households also suffer worse malnutrition outcomes. This relationship is significant in urban Nigeria as well, with implications for sustainable urban planning and family planning to address unmet need for contraceptives.

Picturing Women: Identity, Power, and Photographies in Urban Nigeria

In urban Nigeria, the profile of photography as an art form is on the rise and the work of female artists is coming to global attention. This article argues for a more nuanced analysis that reflects on image objects that ‘speak back’ to issues of inequality and challenge center/periphery sightlines that remain salient within a transnational, interconnected ecosystem. ‘Picturing women’ alludes to the active intersection of the feminine as framed identity within a context of unequal power relations at the global and local level. Through the prism of three key pieces from artists Ndidi Dike, Adeola Olagunju, and Jumoke Sanwo, based in Lagos, Nigeria, I trace the use of lens-based media within their respective practice. What emerges is the relevance of enduring ways of seeing and being from a local ethnographic context that challenge the powerlessness discourse that so often frames visions of Africa. The concept of ‘impaired citizenship’ from the work of theorist Ariella Azoulay provides a helpful provocation to think about the particularities of place that photography unsettles to propose connectivity beyond borders. In conclusion, the article calls for more critical engagement with discursive questions of difference to counter persistent opacities and silences.

Household Demand for Fruits and Vegetables in Rural and Urban South-Western Nigeria

In spite of the enormous benefits of fruits and vegetables, studies have shown that their consumption in Nigeria is far below the recommended daily intake therefore, this study investigated the factors influencing the demand for fruits and vegetables among households in rural and urban South-western Nigeria. Data were sourced from 152 rural and 259 urban households, respectively with the aid of a semi-structured questionnaire and were analysed using descriptive statistics and the quadratic almost ideal demand system model. Household size and location, sex and years of education of household heads influenced the demand for fruits and vegetables. Both rural and urban households considered the demand for fruits and vegetables to be luxury goods. Rural households were more responsive to changes in own-prices of fruits and vegetables than their urban counterpart. Fruits and vegetables were “net substitutes” in the rural and “complements” in the urban.

Applying a Client-centered Approach to Maternal and Neonatal Networks of Care: Case Studies from Urban and Rural Nigeria

ABSTRACT In Nigeria, two maternal and neonatal health Networks of Care (NOC) focus on extending the reach and quality of routine and emergency maternal and neonatal health services tailored to the different contexts. This paper uses the four domains of the NOC framework—Agreements and Enabling Environment, Operational Standards, Quality, Efficiency and Responsibility, and Learning and Adaptation—to describe the NOC, highlighting how each developed to address specific local needs. In Northern Nigeria, the NOC were established in collaboration among Clinton Health Access Initiative and the government to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Health centers and communities in the network were supported to be better prepared to provide maternal and neonatal care, while birth attendants at all levels were empowered and equipped to stabilize and treat complications. The approach brought services closer to the community and facilitated rapid referrals. The NOC in Lagos State extended the reach of routine and emergency maternal and neonatal health services through organically developed linkages among registered traditional birth attendant clinics, private and public sector facilities, the Primary Healthcare Board, and the Traditional Medicine Board. Traditional birth attendants are registered, trained, and monitored by Apex Community Health Officers, whose responsibilities include collection and review of data and ensuring linkages to postpartum services, such as family planning and immunizations. While differing in their approaches, both NOC provide locally appropriate, pragmatic approaches to supporting women birthing in the community and encouraging institutional delivery to ensure that women and their babies have access to timely, appropriate, and safe services.

Gender of the family head and food insecurity in urban and rural Nigeria

PurposeAre the urban and rural male-headed households (MHHs) or female-headed households (FHHs) poorer and food (in)secured? Such question is of very important policy concern in the drive towards achieving the first two of the Sustainable Development Goals.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses 2010–2012 waves of General Household Survey cross-sectional panel data to investigate food (in)security and poverty dynamics amongst MHHs and FHHs in Nigeria, with particular attention to rural and urban dimensions.FindingsApplying the tobit and probit regressions while controlling for poverty and other household characteristics, we observed that female-headed families are more vulnerable to higher incidences of food insecurity than male-headed ones and with an overall significant urban food security advantage compared to rural areas. Comparing urban and rural results in terms of land access rights, urban food insecurity manifests more amongst urban FHHs non–Agri-land owners which however falls as food expenditure rises. However, the rise in per capita food consumption, agricultural characteristics and years of schooling reduces the likelihood of food insecurity for all households.Originality/valueThis study, therefore, offers relevant policy inputs towards addressing poverty and food insecurity in a typical developing country such as Nigeria.

Who Trusts? Ethnicity, Integration, and Attitudes Toward Elected Officials in Urban Nigeria

In the developing world, politicians often use public office to redistribute resources to their core constituencies. This form of clientelistic exchange motivates ethnic voting in Africa and may also shape broader attitudes toward the state. But does clientelism retain its power as cross-ethnic contact increases, or might new forms of political linkage emerge? This article uses public opinion data from urban Nigeria to investigate how social position affects trust in elected local officials. The article finds that local ethnic minorities are less trusting of local officials, but this trust deficit does not diminish as cross-ethnic contact rises. For members of locally dominant ethnic groups, however, greater cross-ethnic contact and lessened ethnic attachment dampen expressed trust in local elected officials. The article argues that ethnic clientelism is resilient in urban contexts but that scholarship must take a more nuanced approach to assessing membership in clientelistic coalitions.

Asset Ownership by Women in Urban and Rural South West Nigeria

In improving the welfare of women asset ownership plays a key role. Therefore this paper examined asset ownership by women in urban and rural South West (SW) Nigeria. Secondary data from Demographic and Health Survey 2013 was used. Data on 1551 rural and 4323 urban women in SW Nigeria was used. Information on their socio-economic characteristics and assets (physical and natural) was obtained. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, multiple correspondence analysis and probit regression. In rural and urban South West the mean age was 30 years. The mean household size in rural and urban SW was 6 and 5 persons respectively. Mobile telephone has a proportionally far higher weight (0. 043, 0.050) and radio too (0.037, 0.042) than the remaining assets in rural and urban SW. From the probit regression nine variables were found to be statistically significant at various levels in both rural and urban South West. The significant variables in rural SW were age (25-34) (-0.30), age 35-49 (0.51), employed in agric and allied sector (0.17), incomplete secondary school education (-0.14), complete secondary school education (-0.16), higher education (0.84), being a female household head (0.17), marital status-married (0.63). In the urban SW the variables that are significant are age-35-49 (-0.32), skilled and unskilled employment (0.13), employed in agric. and allied sector (-0.50), employed in the services sector (0.10), incomplete secondary education (0.24), complete secondary education (0.28), household sized 6-10 persons (-0.12), >10 persons household size (-0.23). Conceited efforts should therefore be put in place by women agencies to enact policies that will help women to own more assets.

A Comparative Analysis of Agricultural Constraints and Coping Strategies among Women Farmers in Rural and Urban Nigeria

Studies have shown that women contribute 50-60% labour to agricultural production in Nigeria. They are however, confronted with monumental constraints which hinder their performances in agricultural production. The aim of this research is to analyze rural and urban women farmers with respect to farming constraints and the coping strategies adopted by them in Kwara State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examines the sociodemographic characteristics and farm activities of women; analyzes the problems facing them in their farm activities and coping strategies adopted to mitigate the constraints. A total of 400 women farmers were sampled with copies of questionnaire in Otun-Oro and Ahun. In order to explore their opinions further on the constraints faced and the coping strategies adopted by them, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were organized for them. Matrix ranking was employed to rank their problems in order of most pressing. The urban women farmers sampled in Otun-Oro ranked land tenure problem (46.4%), poor access to credit facilities (19.5%) and inadequate farm input (17.5%) among others as the most pressing problems confronting them. The rural women famers in Ahun ranked poor access to credit facilities (46.0%), lack of farm input (32.5%) and bad roads (20.0%) among others as the most pressing problems confronting their increased production. Some of the coping strategies adopted include participating in farmers’ cooperative societies with relaxed conditions, multiple cropping to diversify production, early or late planting and praying to God. Hence, an average urban woman farmer has lots of potentials that can be developed to assist in urban planning for proper agricultural development and management. Recommendations were made appropriately and these include: when taking agricultural/farming decisions, women should be part of the group and production resources should be made available especially for women farmers both at the rural and urban areas. This will enhance increased agricultural production by women. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31357/fhss/vjhss.v05i01.01

A Comparative Analysis of Agricultural Constraints and Coping Strategies among Women Farmers in Rural and Urban Nigeria

A Comparative Analysis of Agricultural Constraints and Coping Strategies among Women Farmers in Rural and Urban Nigeria

A Comparative Analysis of Agricultural Constraints and Coping Strategies among Women Farmers in Rural and Urban Nigeria

A Comparative Analysis of Agricultural Constraints and Coping Strategies among Women Farmers in Rural and Urban Nigeria