Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on household income generation and food consumption in Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria: A comparative study of formal and informal sector workers

Abstract

Background: At the beginning of 2020, Nigeria grappled with a severe outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic. This deadly disease significantly impacted various aspects of the country’s economy, leading to socio-economic challenges primarily attributed to daily increases in reported cases and the subsequent enforcement of lockdown measures. Gwagwalada Area Council in Abuja, Nigeria, was not exempt from the devastating consequences of this epidemic, particularly concerning income generation and food access for its residents. Although several studies have examined the impact of COVID-19 on Nigerian workers, little information exists regarding the differing effects on formal and informal sector workers.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the disparities in the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic’s lockdown on household income generation and food consumption among formal and informal sector workers in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria.

Methods: A descriptive survey design was employed for this study. Three hundred and thirty-two completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, which included simple percentages and means and independent sample t-tests.

Results: A significant difference was revealed in the impact of the lockdown between formal and informal sector workers (p <0.001). The lockdown impacted substantially on the informal sector workers more than the formal sector counterparts.

Conclusion: The study found that informal sector workers suffered a greater negative impact from the COVID-19 lockdown in Gwagwalada compared to formal sector workers. Therefore, it is recommended that the government provide substantial loans and grants with low or no interest rates to support informal sector business owners, mitigating the effects of the COVID lockdown and creating job opportunities for those affected by the government’s lockdown measures. Additionally, introducing price control mechanisms to ensure affordable food prices is essential, even after the conclusion of the pandemic.

---

Total views 95 [Abstract: 57 | PDF: 38 ]

Declaration of Conflicting Interest

The authors assert that there are no conflicts of interest pertaining to the research, authorship, and publication of this paper.

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to extend their gratitude to all participants for their invaluable cooperation in facilitating this study.

Authors’ Contributions

Joseph Malachy was responsible for document searching, outline creation, draft article composition, and final article completion. The text underwent a quality review and was subsequently reviewed and corrected by Chima Paul and Yusuf Lawal. Dr. Chima Paul and Dr. Yusuf Lawal also carried out document searches and performed various data-related tasks, such as data collection, cleaning, entry, and analysis. All authors approved the final version of the article to be published.

Data Availability Statement

All datasets generated and analyzed during the study process are not made public but available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Declaration of the Use of AI in Scientific Writing

Nothing to declare.

References

Read more

Action Against Hunger, Catholic Relief Services, International Rescue Committee, Save the Children, Concern Worldwide, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, & WHO. (2020). COVID-19 and the risks to the nutritional outcomes of children and women in Eastern and Southern Africa. https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/app/uploads/2022/09/ESAR-Joint-Nutrition-CalltoAction-July2020.pdf

African Development Bank. (2020). East Africa Economic Outlook 2020 - Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/east-africa-economic-outlook-2020-coping-covid-19-pandemic

Alie, S., Sulaiman, N., Nor, F. M., & Mesbah, S. F. (2019). Demographic factors, food security, health-related quality of life and body weight status of adolescents in rural area in Mentakab, Pahang, Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Nutrition, 25(2), 297-307. https://doi.org/10.31246/mjn-2019-0001

Amare, M., Abay, K. A., Tiberti, L., & Chamberlin, J. (2021). COVID-19 and food security: Panel data evidence from Nigeria. Food Policy, 101, 102099. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2021.102099

Béné, C., Bakker, D., Chavarro, M. J., Even, B., Melo, J., & Sonneveld, A. (2021). Global assessment of the impacts of COVID-19 on food security. Global Food Security, 31, 100575. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100575

Chang, Y. Y.-C., Wu, P.-L., & Chiou, W.-B. (2021). Thoughts of social distancing experiences affect food intake and hypothetical binge eating: Implications for people in home quarantine during COVID-19. Social Science & Medicine, 284, 114218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114218

Chima, P., Ojobo, J. A., & Malachy, J. (2023). Impact of COVID-19 lockdown policy on health and education service uptake of workers in Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria. Journal of Healthcare in Developing Countries, 3(2), 56-61. https://doi.org/10.26480/jhcdc.02.2023.56.61

Ebenso, B., & Otu, A. (2020). Can Nigeria contain the COVID-19 outbreak using lessons from recent epidemics? The Lancet Global Health, 8(6), e770. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30101-7

Edwards, K. A. (2020). Millions need unemployment benefits. Unfortunately, the delivery system Is broken. RAND Blog. https://www.rand.org/blog/2020/04/millions-need-unemployment-benefits-unfortunately-the.html

Firth, J., Gangwisch, J. E., Borsini, A., Wootton, R. E., & Mayer, E. A. (2020). Food and mood: How do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? BMJ, 369. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2382

FSIN, & Global Network Against Food Crises. (2020). Global Report on Food Crises 2020 September update: in times of COVID‐19. https://www.fsinplatform.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/GRFC2020_September%20Update_0.pdf

Ghanbari Movahed, R., Maleki Fard, F., Gholamrezai, S., & Pakravan-Charvadeh, M. R. (2022). The Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food security and food diversity of Iranian rural households. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 862043. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.862043

Hamadani, J. D., Hasan, M. I., Baldi, A. J., Hossain, S. J., Shiraji, S., Bhuiyan, M. S. A., Mehrin, S. F., Fisher, J., Tofail, F., & Tipu, S. M. M. U. (2020). Immediate impact of stay-at-home orders to control COVID-19 transmission on socioeconomic conditions, food insecurity, mental health, and intimate partner violence in Bangladeshi women and their families: an interrupted time series. The Lancet Global Health, 8(11), e1380-e1389. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30366-1

Harapan, H., Itoh, N., Yufika, A., Winardi, W., Keam, S., Te, H., Megawati, D., Hayati, Z., Wagner, A. L., & Mudatsir, M. (2020). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A literature review. Journal of Infection and Public Health, 13(5), 667-673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2020.03.019

Harvey, J. (2022). Covid-19’s toll on the World’s informal workers. New Labor Forum, 31(1), 60-68. https://doi.org/10.1177/10957960211062873

Headey, D. D., Goudet, S., Lambrecht, I., Oo, T. Z., Maffioli, E. M., & Toth, R. (2020). Poverty and food insecurity during COVID-19: Telephone survey evidence from mothers in rural and urban Myanmar (Vol. 3). International Food Policy Research Institute.

Hirvonen, K., De Brauw, A., & Abate, G. T. (2021). Food consumption and food security during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Addis Ababa. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 103(3), 772-789. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajae.12206

International Labour Organization. (2020). As job losses escalate, nearly half of global workforce at risk of losing livelihoods. https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_743036/lang--en/index.htm

Jia, P., Liu, L., Xie, X., Yuan, C., Chen, H., Guo, B., Zhou, J., & Yang, S. (2021). Changes in dietary patterns among youths in China during COVID-19 epidemic: The COVID-19 impact on lifestyle change survey (COINLICS). Appetite, 158, 105015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2020.105015

Kansiime, M. K., Tambo, J. A., Mugambi, I., Bundi, M., Kara, A., & Owuor, C. (2021). COVID-19 implications on household income and food security in Kenya and Uganda: Findings from a rapid assessment. World Development, 137, 105199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105199

Komin, W., Thepparp, R., Subsing, B., & Engstrom, D. (2021). Covid-19 and its impact on informal sector workers: A case study of Thailand. Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development, 31(1-2), 80-88. https://doi.org/10.1080/02185385.2020.1832564

Kumar, B., & Pinky, S. D. (2021). Addressing economic and health challenges of COVID‐19 in Bangladesh: Preparation and response. Journal of Public Affairs, 21(4), e2556. https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2556

Litton, M., & Beavers, A. (2021). Food Insecurity is associated with reducing fruit and vegetable intake during COVID-19. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 121(9), A90. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jand.2021.06.242

Mahmud, M., & Riley, E. (2021). Household response to an extreme shock: Evidence on the immediate impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on economic outcomes and well-being in rural Uganda. World Development, 140, 105318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105318

Malachy, J. (2023). Covid-19 pandemic lockdown and the welfare of formal and informal sector workers in Gwagwalada area council [Dissertation, School of Postgraduate Studies, Department of Public Administration, University of Abuja]. Abuja, Nigeria.

McKibbin, W., & Fernando, R. (2021). The global macroeconomic impacts of COVID-19: Seven scenarios. Asian Economic Papers, 20(2), 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1162/asep_a_00796

Midões, C., & Seré, M. (2021). Living with reduced income: An analysis of household financial vulnerability under COVID-19. Social Indicators Research, 161, 125–149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-021-02811-7

Nicola, M., Alsafi, Z., Sohrabi, C., Kerwan, A., Al-Jabir, A., Iosifidis, C., Agha, M., & Agha, R. (2020). The socio-economic implications of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19): A review. International Journal of Surgery, 78, 185-193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2020.04.018

Obiakor, T., Iheonu, C., & Ihezie, E. (2021). COVID-19 in Nigeria. https://includeplatform.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/COVID-report-Nigeria.pdf

Pitoyo, A. J., Aditya, B., Amri, I., & Rokhim, A. A. (2021). Impacts and strategies behind COVID-19-induced economic crisis: Evidence from informal economy. The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, 64(3), 641-661. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41027-021-00333-x

Power and Participation Research Centre, & BRAC Institute of Governance and Development. (2020). Livelihoods, coping, and support during COVID-19 crisis. https://bigd.bracu.ac.bd/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/PPRC-BIGD-Final-April-Survey-Report.pdf

Razzoli, M., Pearson, C., Crow, S., & Bartolomucci, A. (2017). Stress, overeating, and obesity: Insights from human studies and preclinical models. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 76, 154-162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.026

Siche, R. (2020). What is the impact of COVID-19 disease on agriculture? Scientia Agropecuaria, 11(1), 3-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.17268/sci.agropecu.2020.01.00

Sim, K., Chua, H. C., Vieta, E., & Fernandez, G. (2020). The anatomy of panic buying related to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Psychiatry Research, 288, 113015. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.psychres.2020.113015

Stephens, E. C., Martin, G., Van Wijk, M., Timsina, J., & Snow, V. (2020). Impacts of COVID-19 on agricultural and food systems worldwide and on progress to the sustainable development goals. Agricultural Systems, 183, 102873. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2020.102873

Stoop, N., Desbureaux, S., Kaota, A., Lunanga, E., & Verpoorten, M. (2021). Covid-19 vs. Ebola: Impact on households and small businesses in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. World Development, 140, 105352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105352

Su, C.-W., Dai, K., Ullah, S., & Andlib, Z. (2022). COVID-19 pandemic and unemployment dynamics in European economies. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 35(1), 1752-1764. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2021.1912627

Swarna, N. R., Anjum, I., Hamid, N. N., Rabbi, G. A., Islam, T., Evana, E. T., Islam, N., Rayhan, M. I., Morshed, K. A. M., & Miah, A. S. M. J. (2022). Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on the informal sector workers in Bangladesh. PloS One, 17(3), e0266014. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0266014

Syafiq, A., Fikawati, S., & Gemily, S. C. (2022). Household food security during the COVID-19 pandemic in urban and semi-urban areas in Indonesia. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, 41(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-022-00285-y

Ukegbu, P., Nwofia, B., Ndudiri, U., Uwakwe, N., & Uwaegbute, A. (2019). Food insecurity and associated factors among university students. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 40(2), 271-281. https://doi.org/10.1177/0379572119826464

WHO. (2020). WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020. https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020

World Bank. (2020). Bangladesh must ramp up COVID-19 action to protect its people, revive economy. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/04/12/bangladesh-must-act-now-to-lessen-covid-19-health-impacts

Yamane, T. (1973). Statistics: An introductory analysis. London: John Weather Hill, Inc.

---

Readers are able to give us their valuable feedbacks here. The comments will be reviewed by the editors and then published here. Important Note: The "Comments" related to the Galley Proof PDF must NOT be submitted via this form. Authors should submit their comments on their galley proofs only via system