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

A new report by Edelman Trust Barometer unveiled in Lagos on Wednesday revealed Nigerians’ perceptions of the government, businesses, and the rich.

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The report also reveals that a percentage of Nigerians feel the system favours the privileged few at their expense.

The Edelman Trust Barometer is an annual global survey that measures public trust in four key institutions: government, business, NGOs, and media.

In Nigeria, where economic hardship, insecurity, and governance challenges persist, the Trust Barometer offers a valuable lens into how citizens feel—and where they are placing their hope or discontent.

The 2025 edition is particularly significant as it marks 25 years of tracking trust globally at a time of intensifying civic frustration and calls for reform.

First launched in 2001, it has become a widely referenced benchmark for understanding how people worldwide perceive institutional integrity, competence, and ethics.

The report, tagged Trust and Crisis of Grievance, was launched to mark the 25th anniversary of the Edelman Trust Barometer in reshaping thoughts due to grievances people hold.

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In a keynote address, Wandile Cindi, Senior Strategist and Reputation Advisor at Edelman Africa explained that the survey results show seven out of 10 Nigerians hold grievances against the government for purposely misleading the people.

He said the report states that 62 per cent agree that the rich do not pay their fair share of taxes, while 74 per cent said the selfishness of the rich causes many of Nigeria’s problems affecting ordinary citizens.

Due to unending challenges, he noted that about 52 per cent of Nigerians support hostile activism to drive change across the country.

The report noted that while trust in other institutions, such as NGOs, businesses, and the media, has slightly improved, the government remains the least trusted. Its competence and ethics were rated -46 and -31, respectively.

Although Nigeria’s overall trust index rose marginally from 61 in 2024 to 65 in 2025, Mr Cindi warned that worsening economic anxiety is fuelling growing discontent.

“There’s been a significant increase in job-related fears — from automation to offshoring,” he noted. “Even employers, long seen as trustworthy, are experiencing a decline in public confidence.”

He explained that the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, now in its 25th year, surveyed over 33,000 people across 28 countries, including Nigeria.

He said the online interviews, conducted between 25 October and 16 November 2024, sampled about 1,150 respondents per country.

He highlighted that the demographics were balanced by age, gender, region and, where applicable, ethnicity or nationality. Year-over-year changes in trust levels were tested for statistical significance using a 99 per cent confidence level.

“This is the 25th year of measuring trust across four institutions — government, business, NGOs, and the media,” Mr Cindi said. “The 2025 report reveals a growing crisis of grievance — a deep sense of injustice and resentment that is reshaping public perception.”

Global trends and local optimism

Globally, the most trusted countries remain China, Indonesia, and the UAE, while the UK, Germany, South Korea, and Japan sit at the bottom. Despite Nigeria’s challenges, 50 per cent of Nigerians remain optimistic about the future—higher than many developed countries.

Mr Cindi said fear of discrimination is also on the rise, with 75 per cent of Nigerians reporting concerns about prejudice — a 9-point increase from last year. This fear has surged across income brackets, especially among high earners.

Despite these grim findings, Mr Cindi said there is still room for leadership and institutional repair.

“Trust can only be rebuilt if institutions act ethically and competently,” he said. “In Nigeria, NGOs and businesses are seen as both. Government must demonstrate results that improve everyday lives.”

He added that businesses have an opportunity — and an expectation — to lead, especially in job creation, retraining, and combating misinformation.

Mr Cindi urged collaboration across all sectors: “Grievance thrives when people feel left behind. Trust and optimism must become shared national goals.”

Enter panelists

A panel of leaders from academia, business, and the non-profit sector also addressed the findings, calling for greater collaboration across sectors to rebuild public trust.

Moderated by Olive Emodi, the panel included Kwame Senou, Executive Director at The Holding Opinion (THOP); Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, Executive Vice Chair at the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation; Ikechukwu Obiaya, Dean of the School of Media and Communication at Pan-Atlantic University; and Amaechi Okobi, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Access Holdings.

Opening the session, Mrs Aig-Imoukhuede said Nigerians often operate in silos, blaming others while offering few solutions.

“We’re very good at complaining but not so good at providing solutions,” she said. “Collaboration is key. The problems we face as a country cannot be solved by one group alone.”

Mr Obiaya agreed, urging Nigerians to reflect on their roles. “Grievance is real, but we must also ask ourselves: what part am I playing? We can’t leave it all to the government or NGOs. We’re all part of the solution.”

But Mr Okobi emphasised that trust must begin at the personal level. “If an employee feels their boss lacks empathy, how can trust be built?” he asked.

He shared a personal anecdote: “When I stopped just reporting problems and started suggesting solutions, my leaders listened. That spirit of collaboration and responsiveness is what we need in Nigeria.”

Speaking on the importance of institutional reform, Mrs Aig-Imoukhuede spotlighted the foundation’s work to modernise the civil service.

“We focus on the civil service. We try to make it better. One big project we’ve worked on since 2020 is digitalisation—helping the federal civil service move from manual to digital processes. That will remove many of Nigerians’ issues in accessing government services.”

She emphasised interdependence between sectors: “The private sector will thrive when the public sector thrives. We’re calling on them to help build capacity in public institutions—many civil servants don’t even have the resources or workspaces they need. We must close that gap.”

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Regarding transparency and accountability, Mrs Aig-Imoukhuede stressed, “Data is so important. When you have evidence, you have more than just opinion—you have facts.”

She cited the BudgIT platform, Tracka, which empowers citizens to monitor government projects in their communities.

“Transformation has happened because people could ask: this classroom was supposed to be built—where is it?” she said.

Mr Senou posed a fundamental question: “Are we truly a nation or just individuals living within borders?”

Drawing from his experience as a foreigner and father of Nigerian children, he observed that Nigerians act urgently in personal matters but often disengage from collective responsibility.

“When it’s personal, people act. But when it’s about the community, we point fingers,” he said.

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

“Politicians own many media houses. During election cycles, journalists often can’t publish freely. Add to that poor salaries, and it’s hard to uphold ethics,” he added.

In a goodwill message representing Arik Karani, President of the African Public Relations Association (APRA), the association’s Secretary-General, Omoniyi Ibietan, lauded the Barometer as a vital tool in understanding trust in leadership and communication.

“It is an honour to be here for the launch of the 23rd edition of the Edelman Trust Barometer—a landmark achievement that not only celebrates a quarter-century of global research but reflects the growing importance of trust as a currency of modern leadership,” he said.

Mr Ibietan emphasised that trust is central to meaningful communication, leadership effectiveness, and societal development.