Analysis of Factors Influencing Household Preference Level for Seafood in Southwest Nigeria

Seafood is known worldwide as a very important component of human diet because of its high nutritive value and significance in improving human health. The study examines the factors influencing households’ preference level for seafood and determines the factors inducing the choice of seafood consumption by households in Southwest Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 300 households in Oyo and Lagos States, Southwest Nigeria. Ordered probit regression model was used to examine the factors influencing household preference level for seafood and multinomial logistic model was used to determine the factors inducing the choice of seafood consumed by the households in the study area. The ordered probit model estimation results revealed that access to seafood within 1km – 4km was significant at 5% and positively relates to household preference for seafood. Increase in income of the household will increase the likelihood of having high preference for seafood (14.39%) by the respondents in the study area. Multinomial logistic model results revealed that the education level of the respondents influenced the choice of croaker fish by 12.01% relative to shrimp in the study area. Therefore, the study recommends that seafood marketers should ensure a good distribution network that will enhance its accessibility within one and four kilometers in the study area.