A new report from Chatham House reveals that at least 60% of Nigerians distrust General Bola Tinubu, reflecting a growing wave of dissatisfaction with the country’s leadership and governance.
Titled Taking Action Against Corruption in Nigeria: Empowering Anti-Corruption Role Models and Coalitions to Change Social Norms, the study is part of the Africa Programme’s Social Norms and Accountable Governance (SNAG) project. Conducted in partnership with Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), this latest research paints a grim picture of public skepticism toward key political institutions, including the presidency, federal government, judiciary, and police.
The survey, which polled 6,400 households across multiple states—Adamawa, Benue, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Rivers, Sokoto, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja—found trust in the government at alarmingly low levels. The police topped the list as the most distrusted institution, with 71% of respondents expressing a lack of confidence, including 46% who said they distrust the police “greatly.” Only 7% reported having “great trust” in the force. The judiciary followed closely, with 61% of respondents lacking faith in its integrity. The federal government ranked fourth, distrusted by 58%, while the presidency itself saw 36% of Nigerians expressing “great” distrust, making it the second-least trusted entity. Local government councils, state-level politicians, and other formal bodies also faced widespread public doubt.
This report marks the fourth iteration of the SNAG project’s national household survey, conducted in 2023, and highlights a deepening crisis of public trust. Respondents were asked to gauge their confidence in various institutions, and the results underscored significant dissatisfaction with political leadership. “The president and federal government ranked second- and third-least trusted by the Nigerian public, with 36 and 35 per cent respectively, stating that they distrusted those institutions ‘greatly’,” the report noted. Despite more than two decades of anti-corruption reforms, corruption remains rampant, eroding public confidence. The study points to partisan interests, weak accountability structures, and impunity as key reasons these efforts have largely failed.
Corruption’s toll is stark: it has siphoned off scarce government revenues, weakened the economy, and fueled a rising cost of living, making survival a daily struggle for ordinary Nigerians. Many now view anti-corruption campaigns with cynicism, seeing them as political tools rather than genuine attempts at change. The survey revealed that 59.2% of respondents believe power outweighs honesty in their communities, while 61.5% think people would compromise ethical values to gain control of scarce resources. This perception reinforces the notion that integrity takes a backseat to influence in Nigerian society.
Yet, the report finds a resilient streak of fairness among Nigerians. While 68.3% agreed that most people prioritize personal gain over collective well-being, 73.4% said their communities “feel bad when someone is being taken advantage of.” This tension illustrates a complicated relationship with corruption: many recognize it as a pervasive problem but feel resigned to its dominance, fostering apathy, skepticism about reforms, and even justification for corrupt acts. “Public opinion regarding personal and institutional conduct still matters in Nigeria,” the report states, noting that public criticism has occasionally forced accountability or reversal of abusive official actions.
To tackle this entrenched issue, the report calls for empowering “integrity role models”—individuals in public and private sectors who resist corruption and exemplify ethical leadership. It recommends legal protections, coalition networks, and policy reforms to bolster their influence, alongside stronger collaboration between civic organizations and anti-corruption advocates to safeguard those who challenge the status quo. Since 2015, the SNAG project has surveyed 22,600 households across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, urban and rural areas, and diverse socio-economic and demographic groups, aiming to uncover the drivers of corrupt behavior and the social beliefs that sustain it.
Despite the pervasive distrust—evidenced by 68.3% of respondents saying personal benefit is most people’s primary concern—the report finds hope in Nigerians’ enduring values of empathy and justice. With 73.4% affirming a shared desire for fair treatment, the study suggests that cultural norms of social responsibility remain strong, offering a potential foundation for change if anti-corruption efforts can align with these sentiments.
