77% of Nigerians do not trust the National Assembly – Report

… The legislature surpasses the police as the least trustworthy institution

…Judicial documents 73% No confidence, Presidency 72%

…Religious and traditional leaders enjoy the highest levels of trust

Daud Olatunji

The National Assembly has emerged as the least trusted public institution in Nigeria, with 77% of Nigerians expressing little or no trust in the legislature, according to the 2026 Social Cohesion Report released by the Africa Polling Institute.

The report, presented in Abuja by the institute’s Executive Director, Professor Bell Ihua, showed that the National Assembly has replaced the Nigeria Police Force, which previously held the position of the least trusted institution in the country.

The survey also revealed that 73% of Nigerians expressed little or no confidence in the judiciary, while 72% said they had little confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

According to the report, only 23% of respondents said they had confidence in the National Assembly, compared to 28% who expressed confidence in the federal government.

In contrast, religious and traditional leaders maintained relatively higher public trust, with 51% and 45% of respondents, respectively, expressing significant trust in them.

Presenting the findings at the National Dialogue on Social Cohesion, Ihua said Nigeria’s social cohesion index improved marginally from the previous year to 48.8%, representing the highest score since the survey began, although it is still below the benchmark of 50% considered satisfactory.

He said the improvement reflected the resilience and willingness of Nigerians to co-exist despite economic hardship, insecurity and other national challenges.

“The rating 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 and over across all states and senatorial districts using stratified random sampling. The interviews were conducted in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.

Beyond public trust, the report highlighted mixed feelings about national identity.

While 46% of respondents said they were proud to be Nigerian, 41% expressed disappointment with the country and 11% remained indifferent.

However, for the first time since the survey began, 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.

Regarding civic participation, the report found that 71% of Nigerians are willing to sacrifice personal interests for the collective good of the country, while 77% expressed willingness to work with people from other ethnic groups to strengthen national unity.

Similarly, 73% indicated a willingness to participate in the political process, while 89% supported inter-ethnic marriages.

The investigation, however, revealed growing concerns about the national divide.

Nearly half of those surveyed, or 48%, believe Nigeria is more divided today than four years ago, with political party affiliation identified as the main source of conflict, followed by ethnic and religious differences.

The report also showed growing support for women’s participation in leadership, with 69% agreeing that women should hold leadership positions in politics and business organizations.

60% of respondents said they would vote for a female president, while 66% would support a woman as governor and 73% as local government chair.

As for citizens’ perspective, 45% said they were dissatisfied with their lives as Nigerians, while 55% indicated they would move abroad with their families if given the opportunity.

Despite these concerns, 61% expressed optimism that Nigeria’s future will be better than the present.

The institute urged the federal government to establish a National Commission for Social Cohesion 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 that government policies promote inclusion, justice and national unity.

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