Onyinye Ifeoma Ochuba & Ebikabowei Biedomo Aduku2025-09-290009-04-23https://ir.uat.edu.ng/handle/123456789/72This study investigates the relationship between population compartments and food security in Nigeria using quarterly time-series data from 2003 to 2022. The population groups examined include infants, the working-age population, and the retired-age population, while food security was measured through dietary energy adequacy (food availability) and the prevalence of undernourishment (food accessibility). Applying the Non-linear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) cointegration technique, the findings show that both infant and retired-age populations negatively affect dietary energy adequacy and increase undernourishment in the short and long run. Conversely, the working-age population positively contributes to dietary energy adequacy and reduces undernourishment. The study recommends significant investments in family planning and reproductive health to lower fertility rates, coupled with stronger commitments to child survival and universal health coverage to expand the working-age population. Additionally, encouraging both the working-age and retired-age populations to engage in agriculture through sensitization and supportive policies is crucial for enhancing food availability and long-term food security in Nigeria.This study examines the relationship between population compartments and food T security in Nigeria using quarterly time-series data, covering the period from 2003 to 2022. e population compartments considered were the infant population, the working-age population, and the retired-age population. Ford security, on the other hand, was measured by the average dietary energy adequacy and the prevalence of undernourishment. e data was analyzed using the Non-linear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) co integration technique. It was found that the infant population and the retired age population have a negative and signi cant effect on the average dietary energy adequacy proxy for food availability and a positive and signi cant effect on the prevalence of undernourishment proxy for food accessibility, both in the long run and short run. It was also found that both in the long run and short run, the working-age population has a positive and signi cant effect on the average dietary energy adequacy and a negative and signi cant effect on the prevalence of undernourishment. Nigeria should focus on investing signi cantly in family planning and enhancing productive health, which could cut down the fertility level. And, with more commitment to ensuring child survival and broad implementation of universal health coverage, the working-age population will increase relative to the other population compartments considered in this study. Also, the working-age population and the retired-age population should be encouraged to go into agriculture. is can be achieved through rigorous sensitization on the relevance of agriculture and providing the enabling environment to support the growth of agriculture in the country.enPopulation CompartmentsFood SecurityInfant PopulationWorking-age PopulationRetired-age PopulationArticle