… Legislature Overtakes Police As Least Trusted Institution
…Judiciary Records 73% Distrust, Presidency 72%
…Religious, Traditional Leaders Enjoy Highest Confidence Ratings
Daud Olatunji
The National Assembly has emerged as the least trusted public institution in Nigeria, with 77 per cent of Nigerians expressing little or no confidence in the legislature, according to the 2026 Social Cohesion Report released by the Africa Polling Institute.
The report, unveiled in Abuja by the institute’s Executive Director, Prof. Bell Ihua, showed that the National Assembly displaced the Nigeria Police Force, which previously occupied the position as the country’s least trusted institution.
The survey also revealed that 73 per cent of Nigerians expressed little or no trust in the judiciary, while 72 per cent said they had little confidence in the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
According to the report, only 23 per cent of respondents said they trusted the National Assembly, compared to 28 per cent who expressed confidence in the Federal Government.
In contrast, religious and traditional leaders retained relatively higher public confidence, with 51 per cent and 45 per cent of respondents, respectively, expressing significant trust in them.
Presenting the findings at the National Social Cohesion Dialogue, Ihua said Nigeria’s Social Cohesion Index improved marginally from the previous year to 48.8 per cent, representing the highest score since the survey began, although it still fell below the 50 per cent benchmark considered satisfactory.
He said the improvement reflected Nigerians’ resilience and willingness to coexist despite economic hardship, insecurity and other national challenges.
“The assessment places the National Assembly as the least trusted institution in the country, a position previously held by the Police,” Ihua said.
The nationwide survey, supported by the Ford Foundation, was conducted between January and February 2025.
It involved 5,315 face-to-face interviews with Nigerians aged 15 years and above across all states and senatorial districts using stratified random sampling. Interviews were conducted in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.
Beyond public trust, the report highlighted mixed sentiments about national identity.
While 46 per cent of respondents said they were proud to be Nigerians, 41 per cent expressed disappointment in the country and 11 per cent remained indifferent.
However, for the first time since the survey commenced, the majority of respondents identified themselves primarily as Nigerians rather than along ethnic, religious or regional lines, a development the institute described as a significant milestone in national integration.
On civic participation, the report found that 71 per cent of Nigerians were willing to sacrifice personal interests for the country’s collective good, while 77 per cent expressed readiness to work with people from other ethnic groups to strengthen national unity.
Similarly, 73 per cent indicated willingness to participate in the political process, while 89 per cent supported inter-ethnic marriages.
The survey, however, revealed increasing concerns over national division.
Nearly half of the respondents, representing 48 per cent, believed Nigeria was more divided today than four years ago, with political party affiliation identified as the leading source of conflict, followed by ethnic and religious differences.
The report also showed growing support for women’s participation in leadership, with 69 per cent agreeing that women should occupy leadership positions across politics and corporate organisations.
Sixty per cent of respondents said they would vote for a female president, while 66 per cent would support a woman for governor and 73 per cent for local government chairperson.
On citizens’ outlook, 45 per cent said they were dissatisfied with their lives as Nigerians, while 55 per cent indicated they would relocate abroad with their families if given the opportunity.
Despite these concerns, 61 per cent expressed optimism that Nigeria’s future would be better than its present.
The institute urged the Federal Government to establish a National Social Cohesion Commission to promote inclusive governance, strengthen national identity, improve trust in public institutions and foster peaceful coexistence.
It also recommended the creation of social cohesion desks across ministries, departments and agencies to ensure government policies promote inclusion, justice and national unity.
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