₦airaland Forum

The respondents also say the selfishness of the rich causes many of Nigeria's problems, which affect ordinary citizens.

by Emmanuel Agbo


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

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.

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.”

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.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/naija-fashion/788641-70-per-cent-of-nigerians-hold-grievances-against-government-rich-people-report.html

Only brainless agbado bastards come online to defend an inept government.

Jealous people. They see most rich people as corrupt or ritualistic in nature

That’s because majority of the population lack access to basic amenities and when they see people that can afford these amenities or enjoy these amenities, they see them as “rich” thus brewing animosity.

All these fall back to bad governance over the decades.

False

Why won't they be When Emilokan don turn Almajiri people to Transgender?

And that 70% will bring this country down one day
Mark my word

ceejay80s:
And that 70% will bring this country down one day
Mark my word

keep playing
Oya sope puuuuu

If Nigerians don't hold grievances on the government collecting tax and presenting hardship in return. Who should they hold responsible then?

They will still vote for the rich people and government they hate. You can't understand the way Nigerians reason

Because the government has failed them...

Only a slobbering slowpoke would argue that the government is at all blameless. However, the people themselves are equally bound in folly. Buhari's utterances in 2011, immediately after losing the presidential election, culminated in the loss of life of 800 people, innocent Youth Corpers working in polling booths included. Barely a year later, he would double down on his bloodthirsty, sadistic rhetoric with the infamous statement: "dogs and baboons soaking in blood."

Threatening violence on the people he intended to lead should have disqualified him as a candidate to anyone with a sense of self-preservation. Animals in the wild, if equipped with a decent level of cognitive reasoning, would not make such a grave, extinction-worthy mistake. Yet, Nigerians queued up en masse to vote for him, handing him the presidency on a platter for two terms.

They see kindness, empathy—a government with a listening ear—as a sign of weakness. His threat of violence was probably the biggest lure of his campaign to them. Now everyday they cry, as though not self-inflicted.

It is well.

That aspect of poor hating the rich in Nigeria is false:
The poor idolize the rich. They worship the rich.
The people they hate is the middle class. They are envious that "why are they not down like us?"
They masquerade their hate for the struggling middle class as hatred for the rich. No Sir, they absolutely adore the rich.
The middleclass lives among them, so they are super envious of them, the rich live in exclusive neighbourhoods, so they can't even see them to hate.
Let's get the difference right.

TemplarLandry:

Especially the HoeBeedients. Lol.

try feed your starving mother

Those seventy percent are the most f.o.o.lish demography in the world. They know the source of their problem but allow ethnicity, religion etc. to incapacitate them from dealing with it. They are da.ft and deserve all the misfortune coming their way.

wonder233:
That aspect of poor hating the rich in Nigeria is false:
The poor idolize the rich. They worship the rich.
The people they hate is the middle class. They are envious that "why are they not down like us?"
They masquerade their hate for the struggling middle class as hatred for the rich. No Sir, they absolutely adore the rich.
The middleclass lives among them, so they are super envious of them, the rich live in exclusive neighbourhoods, so they can't even see them to hate.
Let's get the difference right.

Very true

And the grievance is well justified.

This man thinks say na project we dey write,
The reality right now in Nigeria is dt

THINGS HARD

SEYI,TELL UR PAPA SAY THINGS HARD

When I read comments like this, the dying hope I have for this country is revived a little. There are still sane Nigerians around

wonder233:
That aspect of poor hating the rich in Nigeria is false:
The poor idolize the rich. They worship the rich.
The people they hate is the middle class. They are envious that "why are they not down like us?"
They masquerade their hate for the struggling middle class as hatred for the rich. No Sir, they absolutely adore the rich.
The middleclass lives among them, so they are super envious of them, the rich live in exclusive neighbourhoods, so they can't even see them to hate.
Let's get the difference right.

lordm:
Jealous people. They see most rich people as corrupt or ritualistic in nature

You are wrong. They ain't wrong by having that notion because of the kind of country they hail from i don't blame them for having such notion.

Just go to government places, and see people who doesn't have any business or any money but controlling billions because they are associated with government. Typical case scenario is your president and wike, prior to 1999 the president's highest earning was about $2400 monthly but post guber time he catapulted himself to the zenith with a deal he made through alfa beta. While wike who never for once practiced or represented a client in order to make money now becomes almost a trillinaires(naira) just because he worked for the government whose monthly salary was less than 10million.

This funny scenario also happens in the private sector that has connections with the government, people pay kickbacks in order to be given contracts which were never done but stolen. The only people who should get accolades are those private sector folks with zero ties with the government but with sheer resilience, hard work and enthusiasm to succeed making hem successful in their business.

We may all deny as much as we can but this is the reality in Nigeria. The attitudes of citizens is the reason people have this notion

We are more than 70%, please raise it to 90%

[quote author=Dronedude post=135051127]

If Nigerians don't hold grievances on the government collecting tax and presenting hardship in return. Who should they hold responsible then?[/quote


Watin now concern rich people there

So everybody that is rich nwo is associated with govt

idahme:
You are wrong. They ain't wrong by having that notion because of the kind of country they hail from i don't blame them for having such notion.

Just go to government places, and see people who doesn't have any business or any money but controlling billions because they are associated with government. Typical case scenario is your president and wike, prior to 1999 the president's highest earning was about $2400 monthly but post guber time he catapulted himself to the zenith with a deal he made through alfa beta. While wike who never for once practiced or represented a client in order to make money now becomes almost a trillinaires(naira) just because he worked for the government whose monthly salary was less than 10million.

This funny scenario also happens in the private sector that has connections with the government, people pay kickbacks in order to be given contracts which were never done but stolen. The only people who should get accolades are those private sector folks with zero ties with the government but with sheer resilience, hard work and enthusiasm to succeed making hem successful in their business.

We may all deny as much as we can but this is the reality in Nigeria. The attitudes of citizens is the reason people have this notion

Success breeds envy, enmity and grudge…

Government and the rich maintain similar class, how many poor people can you find in government?

Obi Cubana 50 for 50 birthday celebration, did he invite anyone that has less than 25million naira in his name both assets?

Even if you don’t have such, you’ll guide to the point that his helper will start asking for help from him.

To even fake it, you need to have some level of money too…

So the hatred is not ending anytime soon

I dey tell you, joy no dey street at all

lordm:
Jealous people. They see most rich people as corrupt or ritualistic in nature

if the gap between rich and the poor is very wide in a society then there is a problem. A lot of people can't be just poor and then some set of people become so so rich. A society that promote egalitarianism would not have such wide gap

Yes, because Nigeria is a failed state. We got independence since 1960, we are rich in mineral resources, have all it takes to be a better nation, but till date can't boost of 24 hours electricity a day, poor medical facilities and education, high level of insecurity, everything here is totally wrong.

olaolulazio:
keep playing
Oya sope puuuuu

Puuuuuu

What a claim. The rich idolize the poor far more than can ever be imagined.