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Nigeria has highest number of homeless people in the world— Report

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A new data released by the World Population Review (WPR) has listed Nigeria as the top country in the world with the highest number of homeless people.

In the data released on Wednesday as part of WPR’s outlook on population growth for the year, it noted that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, had continued to grapple with a significant homeless population due to several intertwined factors.

The review stated that the homeless situation in Nigeria stemmed from a combination of factors including high poverty rate, with an estimated over 40% of Nigerians living below the national poverty line, making it difficult for many to access basic necessities like shelter.

“Rapid population growth, at around 2.6% annually, strains the country’s resources, including housing,” it said.

“Homelessness is a global problem, with millions of people around the world living without a safe and stable place to call home. Some countries are more affected by homelessness than others,” the accompanying report said.

“In contrast, urbanization and rapid population growth contribute to homelessness in major African cities, where the scarcity of affordable housing creates significant challenges.

“But the root cause of homelessness in Africa is multifaceted. Economic hardships, unemployment, natural disasters, eviction, social factors, political and legal challenges, and a scarcity of affordable housing, are all on the list.

Homelessness can be attributed to various factors, such as poverty, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, and the scarcity of affordable housing in many countries, all of which contribute to the problem.

“Homelessness can have a devastating impact, leading to increased health issues, vulnerability to violence, social isolation, and educational challenges for both individuals and families.

“While the core causes of homelessness are complicated and numerous, coordinated actions at the local, national, and international levels are required to give people in need shelter, dignity, and hope. We can work toward a society where everyone has a place to call home by tackling the underlying conditions that lead to homelessness,” the report added.

A list of the top 10 countries with the highest homelessness rates in 2023, according to data from World Population Review, reveals below:

Nigeria: 24,400,000
Pakistan: 20,000,000
Egypt: 12,000,000
Syria: 6,568,000
DR Congo: 5,332,000
Bangladesh: 5,000,000
Colombia: 4,943,000
Afghanistan: 4,660,000
Philippines: 4,500,000
Yemen: 3,858,000

Metro

65% of Nigerian households lack money for healthy food—Survey

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A survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that around 65% of Nigerian households, which is about two-thirds of the population, lack the financial means to eat healthy food.

According to the survey by the agency, the decline is a reflection of the multidimensional poverty in the country and the impact of continuous reduction in the purchasing power of Nigerians due to rising prices of goods and services.

And as a result, two-thirds of households in the country lack money to eat healthy, nutritious food, the NBS said.

Titled “Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024),” the survey examined demographics, education, and health trends in Nigeria, comparing data from Wave 4 (2018/19) and Wave 5 (2023/24).

On food insecurity, the survey stated:

“Approximately two out of three households indicated being unable to eat healthy, nutritious or preferred foods because of lack of money in the last 30 days.

“Similarly, 63.8 per cent of households ate only a few kinds of food due to lack of money, 62.4 percent were worried about not having enough food to eat, and 60.5 percent ate less than they thought they should.”

It added that between Waves 4 and 5, the proportion of households that reported being worried about not having enough food to eat because of lack of money increased significantly, from 36.9 percent to 62.4 percent.

On access to energy, the survey revealed said:

“82.2 percent of urban households have electricity, compared to 40.4 per cent in rural areas. Nigerian households face an average of 6.7 power blackouts weekly.

“Cooking typically involves traditional three-stone stoves (65.0 percent), primarily using wood as fuel (70.2 per cent), but with use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) rising significantly.

“Many households lack toilet facilities and rely on tube wells or boreholes for drinking water. Waste disposal is mostly informal, with 45.6 percent of households using bushes or streets,” it added.

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Metro

Zambia: APP leader lampoons PF over pledge to reverse forfeited properties

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Leader of one of Zambia’s opposition parties, Advocates for People’s Prosperity (APP), Mwenye Musenge, has criticised the Patriotic Front (PF) over its promise to reverse forfeited properties if the party won the 2026 presidential election.

Musenge, who was reacting to a statement credited to the PF Member of Parliament (MP) for Lukashya Province, George Chisanga, described the PF’s promise as a betrayal, saying the declaration had exposed the party’s disregard for accountability and justice.

The APP leader, who spoke to Zambia Monitor in a telephone interview from Kitwe, expressed shock that Chisanga, a former Law Association of Zambia president, would endorse what he termed a “regressive agenda,” accusing the PF of prioritising the protection of corrupt individuals over the welfare of citizens.

“This declaration reveals the PF’s true intentions, returning to power not to serve Zambians, but to shield their corrupt network and restore stolen assets,” Musenge said.

He alleged that former President Edgar Lungu’s consistent calls to protect his family, who he claimed cannot explain their amassed wealth, further demonstrate the party’s self-serving mission.

Musenge further described the PF as “a political carcass animated by greed and nostalgia for its days of unchecked looting,” and accused its leaders of leaving Zambia impoverished while enriching themselves.

“Allowing them near power again would be akin to handing a butcher’s knife to a thief already drenched in the blood of the nation’s resources.

“The PF represents everything wrong with Zambian politics—a relic of the past clinging to survival through recycled lies and corrupt agendas,” he added.

Musenge went on to call for the party to be permanently eradicated, saying it had no vision, morality, or credibility to serve Zambians.

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