On Wednesday, August 27, 2025, Omobolanle Agboola, a US-based Nigerian nurse researcher and PhD candidate at the University of Minnesota, highlighted income insecurity, transportation challenges, and social isolation as major drivers of poor health in Nigerian communities, based on a whole-person health study conducted in Lagos, as reported by Vanguard. The study, involving 180 participants from rural and urban areas using the MyStrengths+MyHealth (MSMH) digital tool, found that income challenges were the most significant factor affecting health, with over 50% of respondents able to afford only basic necessities and many unable to meet essential needs (Vanguard).
Agboola noted that poverty impacts physical and mental health, nutrition, housing, medication affordability, and healthcare access, while transportation barriers and pollution exacerbate social isolation, contributing to distress and high morbidity rates (ThisDay). The study revealed similar challenges across rural and urban populations, a shift from pre-pandemic patterns. With Nigeria’s poverty rate at 38.9% and 87 million people living below the poverty line (NBS, 2024), Agboola urged coordinated federal, state, and institutional policies to enhance financial stability, transport access, and social services, emphasizing social justice and health equity. X posts from @HealthNG (August 27, 2025) amplified her findings, while @Naija_Activist noted that 62% of Nigerians face healthcare access barriers (Afrobarometer, 2024), underscoring the urgency for systemic reforms.
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