70 per cent of Nigerians hold grievances against government, rich people

A brand new report by Edelman Belief Barometer unveiled in Lagos on Wednesday revealed Nigerians’ perceptions of the federal government, companies, and the wealthy.

The report additionally reveals {that a} proportion of Nigerians really feel the system favours the privileged few at their expense.

The Edelman Belief Barometer is an annual world survey that measures public belief in 4 key establishments: authorities, enterprise, NGOs, and media. 

In Nigeria, the place financial hardship, insecurity, and governance challenges persist, the Belief Barometer presents a invaluable lens into how residents really feel—and the place they’re inserting their hope or discontent.

The 2025 version is especially vital because it marks 25 years of monitoring belief globally at a time of intensifying civic frustration and requires reform.

First launched in 2001, it has develop into a broadly referenced benchmark for understanding how individuals worldwide understand institutional integrity, competence, and ethics.

The report, tagged Belief and Disaster of Grievance, was launched to mark the twenty fifth anniversary of the Edelman Belief Barometer in reshaping ideas resulting from grievances individuals maintain.

In a keynote tackle, Wandile Cindi, Senior Strategist and Repute Advisor at Edelman Africa defined that the survey outcomes present seven out of 10 Nigerians maintain grievances towards the federal government for purposely deceptive the individuals.

He mentioned the report states that 62 per cent agree that the wealthy don’t pay their fair proportion of taxes, whereas 74 per cent mentioned the selfishness of the wealthy causes a lot of Nigeria’s issues affecting bizarre residents.

Resulting from endless challenges, he famous that about 52 per cent of Nigerians assist hostile activism to drive change throughout the nation.

The report famous that whereas belief in different establishments, equivalent to NGOs, companies, and the media, has barely improved, the federal government stays the least trusted. Its competence and ethics had been rated -46 and -31, respectively.

Though Nigeria’s general belief index rose marginally from 61 in 2024 to 65 in 2025, Mr Cindi warned that worsening financial nervousness is fuelling rising discontent.

“There’s been a major enhance in job-related fears — from automation to offshoring,” he famous. “Even employers, lengthy seen as reliable, are experiencing a decline in public confidence.”

He defined that the 2025 Edelman Belief Barometer, now in its twenty fifth yr, surveyed over 33,000 individuals throughout 28 international locations, together with Nigeria.

He mentioned the web interviews, carried out between 25 October and 16 November 2024, sampled about 1,150 respondents per nation.

He highlighted that the demographics had been balanced by age, gender, area and, the place relevant, ethnicity or nationality. Yr-over-year adjustments in belief ranges had been examined for statistical significance utilizing a 99 per cent confidence degree.

“That is the twenty fifth yr of measuring belief throughout 4 establishments — authorities, enterprise, NGOs, and the media,” Mr Cindi mentioned. “The 2025 report reveals a rising disaster of grievance — a deep sense of injustice and resentment that’s reshaping public notion.”

World traits and native optimism

Globally, essentially the most trusted international locations stay China, Indonesia, and the UAE, whereas the UK, Germany, South Korea, and Japan sit on the backside. Regardless of Nigeria’s challenges, 50 per cent of Nigerians stay optimistic in regards to the future—larger than many developed international locations.

Mr Cindi mentioned worry of discrimination can be on the rise, with 75 per cent of Nigerians reporting considerations about prejudice — a 9-point enhance from final yr. This worry has surged throughout revenue brackets, particularly amongst excessive earners.

Regardless of these grim findings, Mr Cindi mentioned there may be nonetheless room for management and institutional restore.

“Belief can solely be rebuilt if establishments act ethically and competently,” he mentioned. “In Nigeria, NGOs and companies are seen as each. Authorities should show outcomes that enhance on a regular basis lives.”

He added that companies have a possibility — and an expectation — to guide, particularly in job creation, retraining, and combating misinformation.

Mr Cindi urged collaboration throughout all sectors: “Grievance thrives when individuals really feel left behind. Belief and optimism should develop into shared nationwide objectives.”

Enter panelists

A panel of leaders from academia, enterprise, and the non-profit sector additionally addressed the findings, calling for larger collaboration throughout sectors to rebuild public belief.

Moderated by Olive Emodi, the panel included Kwame Senou, Govt Director at The Holding Opinion (THOP); Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, Govt Vice Chair on the Aig-Imoukhuede Basis; Ikechukwu Obiaya, Dean of the College of Media and Communication at Pan-Atlantic College; and Amaechi Okobi, Chief Model and Communications Officer at Entry Holdings.

Opening the session, Mrs Aig-Imoukhuede mentioned Nigerians usually function in silos, blaming others whereas providing few options.

“We’re excellent at complaining however not so good at offering options,” she mentioned. “Collaboration is essential. The issues we face as a rustic can’t be solved by one group alone.”

Mr Obiaya agreed, urging Nigerians to replicate on their roles. “Grievance is actual, however we should additionally ask ourselves: what half am I enjoying? We will’t go away all of it to the federal government or NGOs. We’re all a part of the answer.”

However Mr Okobi emphasised that belief should start on the private degree. “If an worker feels their boss lacks empathy, how can belief be constructed?” he requested.

He shared a private anecdote: “After I stopped simply reporting issues and began suggesting options, my leaders listened. That spirit of collaboration and responsiveness is what we want in Nigeria.”

Talking on the significance of institutional reform, Mrs Aig-Imoukhuede spotlighted the muse’s work to modernise the civil service.

“We concentrate on the civil service. We attempt to make it higher. One massive undertaking we’ve labored on since 2020 is digitalisation—serving to the federal civil service transfer from handbook to digital processes. That may take away a lot of Nigerians’ points in accessing authorities companies.”

She emphasised interdependence between sectors: “The personal sector will thrive when the general public sector thrives. We’re calling on them to assist construct capability in public establishments—many civil servants don’t even have the sources or workspaces they want. We should shut that hole.”

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Concerning transparency and accountability, Mrs Aig-Imoukhuede confused, “Knowledge is so vital. When you have got proof, you have got extra than simply opinion—you have got details.”

She cited the BudgIT platform, Tracka, which empowers residents to observe authorities tasks of their communities.

“Transformation has occurred as a result of individuals may ask: this classroom was alleged to be constructed—the place is it?” she mentioned.

Mr Senou posed a basic query: “Are we actually a nation or simply people dwelling inside borders?”

Drawing from his expertise as a foreigner and father of Nigerian kids, he noticed that Nigerians act urgently in private issues however usually disengage from collective duty.

“When it’s private, individuals act. However when it’s in regards to the group, we level fingers,” he mentioned.

Responding to findings that seven in ten Nigerians imagine journalists knowingly mislead, Mr Obiaya highlighted systemic challenges within the media business.

“Politicians personal many media homes. Throughout election cycles, journalists usually can’t publish freely. Add to that poor salaries, and it’s exhausting to uphold ethics,” he added.

In a goodwill message representing Arik Karani, President of the African Public Relations Affiliation (APRA), the affiliation’s Secretary-Common, Omoniyi Ibietan, lauded the Barometer as an important software in understanding belief in management and communication.

“It’s an honour to be right here for the launch of the twenty third version of the Edelman Belief Barometer—a landmark achievement that not solely celebrates a quarter-century of worldwide analysis however displays the rising significance of belief as a foreign money of recent management,” he mentioned.

Mr Ibietan emphasised that belief is central to significant communication, management effectiveness, and societal growth.