Abuja, Nigeria. March 11th, 2024 – A new public opinion poll released by NOIPolls has revealed that a significant proportion of adult Nigerians nationwide (59 percent) follow the English Premier League. However, further findings revealed that only a handful of adult Nigerians (8 percent) follow the Spanish Laliga, while 2 percent mentioned they follow the Italian Serie A and the French Ligue 1. In all, 67 percent of adult Nigerians interviewed stated that they do watch football. In terms of support, for those who follow the English Premier League, Chelsea FC (28 percent) has the highest proportion of respondents who support the team and interestingly, more female respondents (32 percent) expressed support for Chelsea than male (25 percent). This is followed by Manchester United (23 percent) and Arsenal (21 percent). In terms of winning, a higher proportion of respondents (22 percent) have predicted that Liverpool FC would win the 2023/2024 English Premier League season. This tipping cannot be unconnected to the clubs’ outstanding performance in the present season as well as being on top of the league table at the time of the poll having amassed 63 points from 27 matches. This is closely followed by Manchester City (21 percent) and Arsenal (18 percent). Additional findings revealed that most adult Nigerians (86 percent) followed the African Cup of Nations which was hosted by Cote D’Ivoire. Interestingly, a vast majority (92 percent) predicted that Nigeria would lift the trophy at the time this poll was conducted. In contrast, only a handful of respondents predicted that Cote d’Ivoire (1 percent) or South Africa (1 percent) would win the Africa Nation’s Cup. Only 34 percent of respondents say they follow the Nigerian Premier League and patriotism (45 Percent) came up tops as the reason why respondents follow the league. However, 66 percent of respondents say they do not follow the Nigerian Premier League. Some of the reasons include boring matches (31 percent), not finding time out of busy schedules to watch the matches (24 percent), matches not up to standard and not transmitting live matches both tied at 6 percent. Others cited were Poor organization, corrupt officiating, and low publicity (5 percent). To gain more followership in the league, some respondents suggested that the league should be more entertaining (12 percent), create more awareness (10 percent), and use quality players amongst other reasons. Further findings revealed that amongst those who follow the Nigerian premier league, 27 percent support Kano Pillars, Enyimba FC (14 percent), and Enugu Rangers (8 percent). Also, a higher proportion of respondents (22 percent) tipped Kano Pillars to win the Nigerian Premier League. While 17 percent stated that Enyimba FC would win the league, 7 percent tipped Enugu Rangers to win the league. Similarly, more findings showed a significant proportion of adult Nigerians interviewed (42 percent) support their club because it is the club of their state of origin while 38 percent stated they support their club because they play good football. These are some of the key findings from the Football Poll conducted in the week commencing February 1st, 2024. Background Football is a game in which two opposing teams of 11 players each defend goals at opposite ends of a field having goal posts at each end, with points being scored chiefly by carrying the ball across the opponent's goal line and by place-kicking or drop-kicking the ball over the crossbar between the opponent's goal posts[1]. Modern football originated in Britain in the 19th century[2]. Since before medieval times, “folk football” games had been played in towns and villages according to local customs and with a minimum of rules. Football is the world’s most popular ball game in number of participants and spectators[3]. Simple in its principal rules and essential equipment, the sport can be played almost anywhere, from official football playing fields (pitches) to gymnasiums, streets, school playgrounds, parks, or beaches. According to the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the viewership of the 2018 World Cup was estimated to be 3.57 billion, close to half of the global population, while the engagement with the 2022 World Cup was estimated to be 5 billion, with about 1.5 billion people watching the final match[4]. The game unites people from different cultures, races, and backgrounds as the exciting moments thrill football enthusiasts and over time, different football leagues sprang up. The Premier League, also affectionately known as The Premiership, is the pride of football in the United Kingdom[5]. In February of 1992, The FA Premier League was formed, and the first games were played in August of the same year[6]. The FA Premier League’s name was officially changed to the Premier League in 2007[7]. The English Premiership is wildly popular throughout the world and owes much of its success to media coverage of football sporting events[8]. The league is also known as Barclays Premier League since its official sponsor is Barclays Bank[9]. The Premier League’s football season runs from August to May and each team plays a total of 38 games. Over the years, a total of 40 football clubs have participated in The Premier League. However, of the 40 teams that have competed in The Premier League, only a handful of the clubs have won the UK Premiership title – those teams include Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City FC[10]. In the same vein, the Nigeria Football Federation created the Nigeria Premier League in May 1990[11]. It was organized by the Nigeria Football League in 1990 as a step in attaining full professionalism as the sole regulatory body for football in Nigeria. The Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) is the highest level of football club in the Nigerian football league system. However, across ages, Enyimba has been the most successful, winning the professional league eight times. They are followed by the crowd-pulling Kano Pillars who won four times, while Shooting Stars, Heartland and Lobi Stars have each won twice[12]. The Nigerian Premier League has suffered like many others, from the financial impact and dwindling fortunes since the late 2000s.[13] Against this background, NOIPolls surveyed to measure the opinions of Nigerians regarding the English premier league and the Nigerian premier league, and hereby presents its findings. Survey Findings To ascertain Nigerian's enthusiasm, the survey posed the first question ‘’Do you watch football?’’. Analysis revealed that most adult Nigerians (67 percent) nationwide affirmed they watch football. On the other hand, 33 percent of the respondents stated otherwise. Respondents who affirmed they watch football were further asked if they were following the Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Cote D’Ivoire. Analysis revealed majority (86 percent) of Adult Nigerians who watch football answered ‘Yes’, to watching the Africa Cup of Nations. On the contrary, a few (14 percent) said “No”. More analysis shows that the South-West zone (91 percent) accounted for the highest number of football loving Nigerians who followed/watched the tournament. This is followed by North-West zone (90 percent), and South-East (88 percent), cutting across all age brackets. The survey also revealed that more men (92 percent) followed/watched the tournament than women (81 percent). Interestingly, respondents were asked their opinion on which country they think would win the Africa Nations Cup, and the vast majority (92 percent) predicted that Nigeria would lift the coveted trophy. However, a meager (2 percent) of adult Nigerians predicted that Ivory Coast or South Africa would win, while 6 percent out rightly stated that they did not know. This cuts across geo-political zones and gender. Furthermore, the survey sought to know the followership of the different football leagues among adult Nigerians. It posed the question “Which football league do you follow/watch?’’. Respondents were allowed to pick only one option. Findings reveal that slightly above half ( 59 percent) of adult Nigerians who watch football follow the English Premier League. However, 8 percent follow Spanish Laliga, 2 percent watch/follow the Nigerian Premier League, and 2 percent the Italian Series and the French League (1 percent) respectively. However, while 29 percent out rightly stated that they do not follow/watch any football leagues, the South-East and North-Central zones (72 percent each) account for the regions with the highest proportion of respondents who follow the English Premier League. This is followed by the South-South zone (66 percent), South-West (62 percent), North-West (57 percent), and North-East zone (38 percent) having the lowest proportion of respondents who follow the EPL. Also, there are more males (65 percent) than females (56 percent) who follow the EPL. The age group (18-35) respondents (64 percent) and age group (36-60) (61 percent) have more respondents than age group (61 and above) (48 percent) who follow the league. Out of the 41 percent of the respondents who follow other football leagues or none, 80 percent stated that they do not follow the EPL. However, 20 percent affirmed that they follow the English Premier League with the South-South zone (23 percent) having the highest number of respondents who disclosed this. Also, there are more males (31 percent) than females (10 percent) who follow the EPL. Respondents were further asked the English Premier League club they mainly support, and poll findings revealed that a good proportion of respondents (28 percent) affirm they support Chelsea with the South-South Zone (42 percent) accounting the region with the highest proportion of respondents who support Chelsea FC. Interestingly, more females (32 percent) than males (25 percent) indicated support for Chelsea FC. This is then followed by Manchester United FC (23 percent), Arsenal FC (21 percent), Manchester City FC (7 percent), Liverpool FC (6 percent) and Tottenham FC (1 percent). On the contrary, 14 percent of adult Nigerians stated that they do not support any club in the English Premier League. When asked which Nigerian footballer they think is the most valuable in the EPL. Findings reveal top-picks are Alex Iwobi (17 percent), Taiwo Awoniyi (9 percent), and Michael Oliseh (8 percent). Others are Frank Onyeka (4 percent), Kelechi Iheanacho (2 percent), Wilfred Ndidi (2 percent), Ola Aina (1 percent), and Kelvin Bassey (1 percent). However, a large proportion of adult Nigerians interviewed (31 percent) opined no Nigerian footballer is valuable in the EPL. While quite a good number (25 percent) out rightly stated that they do not know. Respondents were asked their opinion on who will win the English Premier League this season and a good proportion (22 percent) said Liverpool will win the league. More males (27 percent) than females (14 percent) respondents who believe Liverpool FC will win the league. Interestingly, 21 percent predict that Manchester City FC will lift the coveted league trophy. Other teams predicted to win the league include Arsenal FC (18 percent), Chelsea FC (6 percent), Manchester United FC (4 percent), Aston Villa (1 percent). However, a higher proportion (28 percent) of adult Nigerians interviewed revealed that they do not know which league will win the 2023/2024 season. On the other hand, the poll sought to know the proportion of Nigerians who follow the Nigerian Premier league, and the poll result reveals that only 34 percent of Nigerians follow the Nigerian league with the North-East (41 percent) being the region with the highest proportion of respondents who follow the league. While a large proportion (66 percent) say they do not follow the Nigerian Premier League. The South-West (74 percent) has the highest proportion of respondents who do not follow the Nigerian Premier League. Furthermore, 34 percent who follow the Nigerian Premier League mentioned several reasons for their choice of followership, this includes patriotism (45 percent), good players (20 percent), general love for football (10 percent) amongst other reasons stated. On the flip side, the higher proportion (66 percent) of adult Nigerians who do not fancy the Nigerian Premier League gave their reasons and the top mentioned are boring (31 percent), no time to watch (24 percent), not up to standard (6 percent). Other reasons include They do not show the matches (6 percent), poor organization and corrupt officiating (5 percent), lack of publicity (5 percent), and Epileptic power supply (4 percent) amongst others. Additionally, adult Nigerians who follow the Nigerian Premier Leagues were asked the club they mainly support and the poll result revealed that Kano Pillars (27 percent) has the highest proportion of respondents who affirmed their support for the team. This is followed by Enyimba United FC (14 percent), Enugu Rangers FC (8 percent), and Plateau United FC (3 percent), Lobi Stars (3 percent) amongst other teams in the league. When asked the reason for their choice, a significant proportion of respondents (42 percent ) revealed that ‘’because it’s my state club’’. 38 percent disclosed that they love the club because they play well, and 12 percent revealed ‘’they just like them’’, amongst other reasons mentioned. The survey also sought to know the opinion of adult Nigerians on the Nigerian premier league club they think will win the 2023/2024 season. The highest proportion ( 22 percent ) tipped Kano Pillars to win the season. Of those who predict Enyimba will win 17 percent, while 7 percent believe Enugu Rangers will lift the trophy this season. Finally, the survey sought to know what can be done to increase followership of the Nigerian Premier League. A higher proportion of the respondents (12 percent) suggest that the game should be made more entertaining. Other suggestions include raising awareness (10 percent), using good players to play good football (9 percent), Government support (9 percent), Good sponsorship and management (8 percent), televising on local and foreign TV stations at convenient times (8 percent), as well as Improve electricity (7 percent). Conclusion In conclusion, a good proportion of Nigerians (67 percent) watch football, while 33 percent do not fancy the game. Interestingly, findings revealed that most adult Nigerians interviewed (86 percent) followed the Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Cote D’Ivoire and the vast majority (92 percent) predicted that Nigeria would lift the trophy. The poll results also revealed that a higher proportion of adult Nigerians (59 percent) follow the English Premier League as against 34 percent who follow the Nigerian Premier League. Among respondents who follow the English Premier League, Chelsea FC (28 percent) has the highest supporters followed by Manchester United FC (23 percent). Nigerians (22 percent) tipped the Liverpool FC to win the 2023/2024 Premier League season. Currently, Liverpool FC is topping the league with 57 points having won 17 games played and lost just 2 of their games. Contrarily, the followership of the Nigerian Premier League is low (34 percent) as revealed by the poll. Also, Kano Pillars were tipped by respondents (22 percent) to win the Nigerian Premier League and the same Kano Pillars have the largest followership (27 percent). Lastly, there is an urgent need for the football administrators in the country to step up and address some of the issues that have caused low followership and disinterestedness in the Nigerian premiership as the importance of football as a unifying factor in the country cannot be overemphasized. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing February 1st, 2024. It involved telephone interviews of a proportionate nationwide sample of 1,000 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six Geo-Political regions 36 states, and the FCT of the country. Interviews were conducted in 5 languages – Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Pidgin English, and English. Although we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained were statistically precise – within a margin of error of plus or minus 4.65%; we recognize that the exclusive use of telephone polling has its limitation of excluding non-phone-owning Nigerians. Nonetheless, with the country’s tele density put over 100 percent by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), we consider our telephone polling approach appropriate. Also, given the rigorous scientific process of randomization and stratification applied, we can confidently stand by the validity of our methodology and approach. NOIPolls Limited, No. 1 for country-specific polling services in West Africa. We conduct periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria. More information is available at www.noi-polls.com. Disclaimer This press release has been produced by NOIPolls Limited to provide information on all issues that form the subject matter of the document. Kindly note that while we are willing to share results from our polls with the public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as authors whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited, or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect the views of respondents surveyed for the poll, and background information is based on information from various sources that it believes are reliable; however, no representation is made that it is accurate or complete. Whilst reasonable care has been taken in preparing this document, no responsibility or liability is accepted for errors or facts, or any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken because of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions, or views herein constitute a judgment as of the date of this document. If the date of this document is not current, the views and content may not reflect NOIPolls' current findings and/or thinking. Press Contact Email: editor@noi-polls.com cakubue@noi-polls.com nohuche@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 - 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 [1] https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/football [2] https://www.britannica.com/sports/football-soccer [3] https://www.britannica.com/sports/football-soccer [4] https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/news/one-month-on-5-billion-engaged-with-the-fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022-tm [5] https://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/43683/recreation_and_sports/a_brief_history_and_overview_of_the_english_premier_league.html [6] A Brief History and Overview of the English Premier League (streetdirectory.com) [7] A Brief History and Overview of the English Premier League (streetdirectory.com) [8] A Brief History and Overview of the English Premier League (streetdirectory.com) [9] A Brief History and Overview of the English Premier League (streetdirectory.com) [10] https://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/43683/recreation_and_sports/a_brief_history_and_overview_of_the_english_premier_league.html [11] http://www.sportflames.com/2020/05/exclusive-nigeria-professional-league.html [12] http://www.sportflames.com/2020/05/exclusive-nigeria-professional-league.html [13] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria_Professional_Football_League#History

News release A majority of Africans are dissatisfied with their government’s efforts to provide public education, the latest Afrobarometer Pan-Africa Profile shows. Based on national surveys in 39 African countries, the report shows that younger generations have more education than their elders, but women, poor people, and rural residents face persistent disadvantages in educational attainment. Among adults who had recent contact with a public school, most say they found it easy to obtain the services they needed and were treated with respect. But the findings also highlight the widespread problem of out-of-school children and demands for bribes in exchange for services. While countries vary widely in their experiences and assessments, a majority of Africans are dissatisfied with their government’s performance on education, though they appreciate their leaders’ efforts to minimise disruptions to schooling due to COVID-19. Key findings On average across 39 African countries, more than half (55%) of adults have secondary (37%) or post-secondary (18%) education, while 27% have primary schooling and 18% have no formal education (Figure 1). o Younger Africans have more education than their elders. About two-thirds (65%) of respondents aged 18-35 have had at least some secondary education, compared to 52%, 44%, and 35% of the progressively older cohorts. o Women are less likely than men to have secondary or post-secondary education (51% vs. 59%) and more likely to lack formal education altogether (20% vs. 16%). o The poorest respondents are more than three times as likely as the best-off to lack formal schooling (25% vs. 7%) and less than one-third as likely to have post-secondary qualifications (11% vs. 37%). o The same pattern holds for rural vs. urban residents: 27% vs. 9% lack formal schooling, and 9% vs. 28% have post-secondary education. Among citizens who had contact with public schools during the previous year, three-fourths (74%) say they found it easy to obtain the services they needed (Figure 2). o And three-fourths (74%) say that teachers or other school officials treated them with respect (Figure 3). o But one in five (19%) say they had to pay a bribe to get the needed services, ranging from 2% in Cabo Verde to 50% in Liberia. Poor respondents are twice as likely as well-off citizens to report having to pay a bribe to a teacher or school official. Almost half (48%) of Africans say school-age children who are not in school are a “somewhat frequent” or “very frequent” problem in their community, reaching as high as 83% in Liberia and 71% in Angola (Figure 4). Fewer than half (46%) of Africans think their government is performing “fairly well” or “very well” on education, while 52% give their leaders poor marks (Figure 5). Afrobarometer surveys Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Nine survey rounds in up to 42 countries have been completed since 1999. Round 9 surveys (2021/2023) cover 39 countries. Afrobarometer’s national partners conduct face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice with samples of 1,200-2,400 adults that yield country-level results with margins of error of +/-3 to +/-2 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Charts Figure 1: Educational attainment | by demographic group | 39 countries | 2021/2023 Respondents were asked: What is your highest level of education? Figure 2: Ease of obtaining public school services | 39 countries |2021/2023 Respondents who had contact with a public school during the previous 12 months were asked: How easy or difficult was it to obtain the services you needed from teachers or school officials? (Respondents who had no contact with a public school are excluded.) Figure 3: Respect from public school officials | 39 countries | 2021/2023 Respondents who had contact with a public school during the previous 12 months were asked: In general, when dealing with teachers and school officials, how much do you feel that they treat you with respect? (Respondents who had no contact with a public school are excluded.) Figure 4: Out-of-school children a frequent problem | 39 countries | 2021/2023 Respondents were asked: How frequently do you think the following things occur in your community or neighborhood: Children who should be in school are not in school? (% who say “somewhat frequently” or “very frequently”) Figure 5: Government performance on education | 39 countries | 2021/2023 Respondents were asked: How well or badly would you say the current government is handling the following matters, or haven’t you heard enough to say: Addressing educational needs? For more information, please contact: Daniel Iberi Afrobarometer communications officer for East Africa Email: diberi@afrobarometer.org Telephone: +254725674457 Visit us online at www.afrobarometer.org. Follow our releases on #VoicesAfrica.

A majority of Nigerians see plastic bags as a major source of pollution in the country and favor government action to protect the environment, the latest Afrobarometer survey shows. More than half of citizens say pollution is a serious problem in their communities, citing trash and plastic disposal and sanitation as their most important environmental issues. The Lagos state government last week announced a ban on Styrofoam and other single-use plastics, which it said are clogging drainage channels in Lagos. Find out more about Nigerians’ views on pollution and environmental governance here. Key findings Almost two-thirds (63%) of citizens see plastic bags as a major source of pollution in Nigeria (Figure 1). More than half (53%) say pollution is a “somewhat serious” or “very serious” problem in their communities (Figure 2). Citizens say trash and plastic disposal (cited by 27%) and human waste management (26%) are the most important environmental issues in their communities (Figure 3). Almost two-thirds (63%) of Nigerians say the government should be doing more to limit pollution and protect the environment, including 48% who say it needs to do “much more” (Figure 4). Afrobarometer surveys Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Eight survey rounds in up to 39 countries have been completed since 1999. Round 9 surveys (2021/2023) are currently underway. Afrobarometer’s national partners conduct face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice. The Afrobarometer team in Nigeria, led by NOIPolls, interviewed a nationally representative sample of 1,600 adult citizens in March 2022. A sample of this size yields country-level results with a margin of error of +/-2.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Previous surveys were conducted in Nigeria in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2020. Charts Figure 1: Are plastic bags a major source of pollution? | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statement: Plastic bags are a major source of pollution in this country. Figure 2: Extent of pollution in the community | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: How serious a problem is pollution, such as the accumulation of trash or garbage, or damage to the quality of the air, the water, or the land, in your community? Figure 3: Most important environmental issue in the community | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: Which of the following is the most important environmental issue in your community today? Figure 4: Should government do more to protect the environment? | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: In your opinion, should our government be doing more or less than it is currently doing to limit pollution and protect the environment in this country? For more information, please contact: NOIPolls Raphael Mbaegbu Telephone: +234 63292096 Email: rmbaegbu@noi-polls.com Visit us online at: www.afrobarometer.org. Follow our releases on #VoicesAfrica.

Abuja, Nigeria-January, 16th 2024 – A new public opinion poll released by NOIPolls reveals the top three key and important areas Nigerians want the government to focus on in the year 2024 and these include security (52 percent), job creation (46 percent) and electricity (40 percent). Other areas Nigerians want the government to focus on to solve the challenges in the areas include price regulation (36 percent), reconsideration of subsidy removal (30 percent), economy (20 percent), agricultural sector, and education both tied at (19 percent), Infrastructure (11 percent), giving of soft loans (7 percent) and upward review of the minimum wage (5 percent) amongst other areas mentioned by adult Nigerians. The frightening spate of insecurity in Nigeria has become a liability for the government as it is their sole responsibility to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians. It is crippling economic activities across the nation as there is an obvious link between the insecurity in Nigeria and the living condition of its citizens. The widespread insecurity in the country has led to the disruption of agricultural activities which is the largest employer of labor and the largest economic sector in the country (25.9% of GDP in 2021). Agriculture also provides input for various manufacturing companies. Nigeria’s high food inflation rate, which stood at 17.2% in March 2022, is largely attributed to the increasing scourge of insecurity in the country’s Northern region.[1] Beyond the agricultural sector, unemployment generally especially amongst those within the youthful age has become worrisome. The incidence of high unemployment in Nigeria can be attributed to the slow pace of job creation, which has been considerably weaker than labor force growth.[2] Keeping Nigerians engaged and productive, especially the younger population will reduce the incidences of excessive behaviors and criminality. Another bothersome trend is the spate of electricity supply in Nigeria which has remained grossly inadequate hence affecting household and commercial demands. Nigerians self-generate a significant portion of their electricity with highly polluting off-grid alternatives and at a cost that is more than twice the cost of grid-based power. How can the Nigerian people and industries be globally competitive without access to affordable and reliable power?[3] With a major focus on the aforementioned areas of priority, there is a need for the government to expedite action to ameliorate the current challenging socio-economic situation and create a sustainable living condition for Nigerians. These are some of the key highlights from the New Year Poll conducted in the week commencing January 8th, 2024. Survey Background At the stroke of midnight on the 1st January 2024 the euphoric and nostalgic chant of “Happy New Year” rented the air heralding the dawn of a new year in every part of the globe. People all over the world chanted with excitement and euphoria as 2023 eased out. New years are associated with new beginnings and opportunities for growth. As it is the norm in African societies where communal living is entrenched and family life is held in high esteem, the new year is celebrated with families and friends. It is typically considered an extension of the Christmas celebration. Amidst the celebration and fanfare, the question of what the new year holds for Nigerians is heavy in the hearts of many citizens. With all the surprises, changes, and adjustments Nigerians had to deal with in 2023, a feasible and honest road map for national development is anticipated from the government of the day. Nigerians are eager to find out from their leaders: Will living conditions improve? Will food prices crash? Will there be improved security? Will wages increase? Will the fuel prices drop? Will Nigerians see a drop in foreign exchange rates? Will healthcare improve? Will there be improved infrastructure? Will Nigerians be allowed to “breathe”? As Nigerians anticipate a better year, it would be heartwarming to see tangible improvement in the key areas Nigerians have pointed out, in security, job creation, and electricity amongst others. Whether the wish of Nigerians will materialize for good or get worse remains to be seen as the year unfolds. Against this backdrop, NOIPolls surveyed to find out the views of Nigerians regarding their expectations for the new year and hereby presents its findings. Survey Findings Nigerians were asked the top three areas they want the government to focus its attention on in the year 2024 and the poll results reveal that the top three key areas include Security (52 percent), Job creation (46 percent), and Electricity (40 percent). Other areas Nigerians want the government to pay attention to include price regulation (36 percent), reconsideration of subsidy removal (30 percent), economy (20 percent), agricultural sector and education (19 percent), infrastructure (11 percent), giving of soft loans (7 percent), upward review of minimum wage (5 percent), improve key sectors and roll out empowerment programs (3 percent). Conclusion In conclusion, the poll results reveal that Nigerians want the government to focus its attention on three key areas which include security, job creation, and electricity. This is an agenda-setting endeavor by Nigerians to the government as these areas have been long neglected by the government and the effect of neglect is felt by everyone in the country. For instance, due to neglect in the security sector, Nigerians experience loss of lives every time there is an attack in their communities and they live in fear and trepidation, and no economy can grow given such dire circumstances. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the government to move in this direction with the view of ameliorating the problem so that ordinary Nigerians will experience a better life in the year 2024. It remains to be seen if the government will heed the yearnings of Nigerians or will turn a blind eye while Nigerians continue to count their losses. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing January 8th, 2024. It involved telephone interviews of a proportionate nationwide sample of 1,000 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geo-political regions and 36 states and the FCT of the country. Interviews were conducted in 5 languages – Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Pidgin English, and English. Although we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained were statistically precise – within a margin of error of plus or minus 4.65%; we recognize that the exclusive use of telephone polling has its limitation of excluding non-phone-owning Nigerians. Nonetheless, with the country’s tele density put over 100 per cent by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), we consider our telephone polling approach appropriate. Also, given the rigorous scientific process of randomization and stratification applied, we can confidently stand by the validity of our methodology and approach. NOIPolls Limited, No. 1 for country-specific polling services in West Africa. We conduct periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria. More information is available at www.noi-polls.com. Disclaimer This press release has been produced by NOIPolls Limited to provide information on all issues which form the subject matter of the document. Kindly note that while we are willing to share results from our polls with the public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as authors whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited, or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect the views of respondents surveyed for the poll, and background information is based on information from various sources that it believes are reliable; however, no representation is made that it is accurate or complete. Whilst reasonable care has been taken in preparing this document, no responsibility or liability is accepted for errors or facts, or any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken because of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions, or views herein constitute a judgment as of the date of this document. If the date of this document is not current, the views and content may not reflect NOIPolls' current findings and/or thinking. Press Contact Email: editor@noi-polls.com cakubue@noi-polls.com nohuche@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 813 547 4512 +234 (0) 813 749 6113 [1] The Economics of Insecurity: Nigeria’s Rough Patch - Nigeria’s First Credit Rating Company (agusto.com) [2] Structural transformation and jobless growth in Nigeria (pwc.com) [3] Challenges and Interventions Needs in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) | CSEA AFRICA - CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF THE ECONOMIES OF AFRICA

Abuja, Nigeria. December 30th, 2023 - A new public opinion poll has revealed that most Nigerians (66 percent) are dissatisfied with the year 2023. Geo-political zones analysis reveals the North East region (76 percent) has the highest number of Nigerians who made this assertion. According to the poll, Nigerians highlighted four major areas that influenced their dissatisfaction with the year 2023 and this includes hunger and economic hardship, increased inflation, things not working well, and a poor economy. The subsidy removal by the federal government in May this year without introducing wide-reaching palliatives to cushion the effect may have contributed to the proportion of respondents who expressed dissatisfaction. The report of the World Bank further corroborates the Poll findings released this year that more than 4 million Nigerians have been plunged into poverty in the first six months of the year 2023 and a further 7.1 million Nigerians will enter poverty if adequate measures are not put in place[1]. Explicitly, the poll revealed that 37 percent of respondents stated that they were dissatisfied with the year because of the economic hardship and hunger they experienced in the year 2023. While 22 percent of the respondents stated high inflation as the reason for their dissatisfaction, 17 percent stated things not working well as a reason for their dissatisfaction with the year 2023. Other factors attributed to the dissatisfaction of Nigerians include poor economy (5 percent), and bad leadership (4 percent). Fuel subsidy issues, food insecurity, and worsened insecurity all tied at 3 percent, with scarcity of cash (2 percent), and irregular power supply at (1 percent). On the flip side, 34 percent of respondents claimed that they were satisfied with the year 2023. Of the 34 percent who expressed satisfaction, 29 percent stated that ‘they thank God for life’, 16 percent stated ‘because the government is trying their best’, and 11 percent stated, ‘my business has improved’. Other reasons adduced by respondents include ‘security is gradually improving and ‘prompt payment of salaries both tied at 7 percent, ‘slight improvement in electricity supply (3 percent), and improved infrastructure (2 Percent) amongst other reasons put forward by respondents. It is important to highlight that 34 percent of Nigerians still find reasons to be satisfied with the year 2023 despite the challenges a lot of Nigerians experienced over the year. This can be attributed to the unwavering, unflinching, resolute, and undying spirit of Nigerians in the face of hard times which should be commended and applauded. Regardless, the government must pay attention to areas highlighted by Nigerians that made them dissatisfied with the year 2023. These include hunger and economic hardship, high inflation and things not working well, as well as a poor economy to improve the living conditions of Nigerians in the coming year 2024. These are key highlights from the End of Year Poll conducted in the week commencing December 18th, 2023. BACKGROUND Christmas and New Year festivities over the world always climax at the end of the year, and usher in the new year in a dynamic and celebratory mood. Christmas day which is observed every 25th December is set aside as a day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ by Christians and use the day to share love and care to loved ones and the needy among them. The days after Christmas up to the new year are also days to celebrate and thank God for life, the gift of friends and families. Many Nigerians use this period to travel to the countryside to visit their families and relations with re-uniting intentions, others use the period to reflect on the outgoing year, especially in areas they will need to work hard to have a better year ahead. However, due to the economic challenges occasioned by the effects of the fuel subsidy removal which ultimately led to a high cost of transportation, a lot of Nigerians did not travel this year, 2023. Also, the high cost of food items has made a lot of Nigerians celebrate Christmas low-key with hopes that the government will expedite actions in tackling the many socio-economic issues currently plaguing the Country. Most Nigerians are looking up to the new year with optimism and hope that they will experience a turn-around of things at the earliest so that they can breathe a sigh of relief and experience a new lease of life. Against this backdrop, NOIPolls surveyed to seek the views of Nigerians regarding how they fared in the year and their aspirations for the new year and hereby presents its findings. Survey Findings The first question gauged the level of satisfaction of respondents with the year 2023, thus asked respondents’ satisfaction with the year 2023. The poll result revealed that most Nigerians (66 percent) asserted that they were not satisfied with the year 2023. Analysis by geo-political zone revealed that the North-East zone (76 percent) had the highest proportion of Nigerians who made this assertion. Also, with regards to age group, the analysis showed that the level of dissatisfaction is highest among respondents within the age group of 36-60 (68 percent). On the other hand, 34 percent of the respondents mentioned that they are satisfied with the year 2023, and Nigerians living in the North-West zone (41 percent) had more respondents who stated this. Subsequently, 66 percent of the respondents who stated that they were dissatisfied were further probed and analysis showed the 4 major areas Nigerians expressed dissatisfaction with include hunger and economic hardship, increased inflation, things not working well, and poor economy. Specifically, the poll revealed that 37 percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction mostly because of the ‘economic hardship and hunger’ they faced this year. Also, 22 percent mentioned ‘increased inflation’, 17 specified ‘due to things not working well’ and 5 percent attributed their dissatisfaction to the ‘poor economy’ in the country. Other reasons mentioned are ‘bad leadership’ (4 percent), ‘fuel subsidy issue’, ‘food insecurity’, and ‘worsened insecurity’ all tied at (3 percent), ‘scarcity of cash’ (2 percent), and ‘irregular power supply’ (1 percent). On the contrary, respondents who expressed satisfaction with the current year stated the top 4 reasons for their satisfaction are: ‘the gift of life’ (39 percent), ‘the government is trying their best’ (16 percent), ‘business has improved’ (11 percent) and ‘some sectors of the economy have improved’ (9 percent). Other reasons presented include ‘security is gradually improving’, ‘prompt payment of salaries/promotions’ both tied at (7 percent), ‘slight improvement in electricity supply’ (3 percent), ‘improved infrastructure’ and ‘improved job creation both tied’ at (2 percent) while 1 percent stated that there is no reason for their satisfaction with the year. Conclusion In conclusion, the poll result reveals that a large proportion of respondents (66 percent) are dissatisfied with the year 2023 highlighting key areas of their dissatisfaction which include hunger and economic hardship (37 percent), increased inflation (22 percent), things are not working well (17 percent) and poor economy (5 percent). These areas highlighted by respondents are critical for the survival of Nigerians. They will require the government of the day and relevant stakeholders to expedite actions, which include poverty reduction, job creation, and consistent economic growth in tackling these challenges so that Nigerians will experience a new lease of life in the coming year 2024. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing December 18th, 2023. It involved telephone interviews of a proportionate nationwide sample of 1,000 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geo-political regions 36 states, and the FCT of the country. Interviews were conducted in 5 languages – Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Pidgin English, and English. Although we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained were statistically precise – within a margin of error of plus or minus 4.65%; we recognize that the exclusive use of telephone polling has its limitation of excluding non-phone-owning Nigerians. Nonetheless, with the country’s tele density put over 100 percent by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), we consider our telephone polling approach appropriate. Also, given the rigorous scientific process of randomization and stratification applied, we can confidently stand by the validity of our methodology and approach: NOIPolls Limited, No. 1 for country-specific polling services in West Africa. We conduct periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria. More information is available at www.noi-polls.com. Disclaimer This press release has been produced by NOIPolls Limited to provide information on all issues that form the subject matter of the document. Kindly note that while we are willing to share results from our polls with the public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as authors whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited, or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect the views of respondents surveyed for the poll, and background information is based on information from various sources that it believes are reliable; however, no representation is made that it is accurate or complete. Whilst reasonable care has been taken in preparing this document, no responsibility or liability is accepted for errors or facts, or any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken because of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions, or views herein constitute a judgment as of the date of this document. If the date of this document is not current, the views and content may not reflect NOIPolls' current findings and/or thinking. Press Contact Email: editor@noi-polls.com cakubue@noi-polls.com nohuche@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 813 547 4512 +234 (0) 813 749 6113 [1] https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/06/28/world-bank-four-million-more-nigerians-pushed-into-poverty-in-first-six-months-of-2023

Abuja, Nigeria. November 7th, 2023 – A new public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls has revealed that majority (70 percent) of adult Nigerians nationwide often go hungry because there is not enough food. However, 28 percent of Nigerians interviewed attributed the major cause of the food insecurity crisis in Nigeria to Farmer-Herder clashes. Similarly, 16 percent linked the situation to unemployment. This corroborates with the publication of Relief Web, a humanitarian information service provided by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), that the food security situation in Nigeria has over the years been impacted especially by violent conflicts, including the insurgency in the North-East; armed banditry in the Northwest; perennial farmer – herder conflicts in the North-central[1]. According to the publication, other factors contributing to food insecurity include rising unemployment, engendering, and compounding cost-of-living crisis, with deleterious effects on the conditions of living of citizens, and their ability to access food[2]. In addition, 12 percent of Nigerians interviewed cited bad leadership among other factors that have mostly impacted the food insecurity crisis in Nigeria. More findings revealed that most Nigerians (89 percent) affirmed they worry about whether the food they will buy will be enough. In the same vein, 88 percent of Nigerians interviewed stated that they worry about whether the food they buy will run out before they get money to buy more. Furthermore, 81 percent affirmed they cut the size of their meal because they or their family member did not have enough food. Still in the affirmative, 80 percent revealed that they eat the same food several days in a row because they have just a few different kinds of food on hand and do not have money to buy more. Sadly, 49 percent of Nigerians interviewed also stated they had gone to bed hungry at some point because they could not afford to buy food while 40 percent stated that they did not eat because their family did not have enough money for food. With regards to recommendations on how the Federal Government can improve food security in Nigeria, 26 percent advocated that the Federal Government should tackle insecurity. Other suggestions include Improving agricultural Policy (14 percent), opening all closed borders (12 percent), Reducing fuel prices (9 percent), Creating job opportunities (7 percent), and Address Climate Change (7 percent) amongst others. These are some of the key findings from the food security Poll conducted in the week commencing 23rd October 2023. Background Food security, as defined by the United Nations Committee on World Food Security, means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life. It is also the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food[3]. The key drivers to the food insecurity crisis in Nigeria have been linked to consistent violent crises, climate change, inflation, and rising food prices. A January 2023 Press Release by UNICEF reiterates that food access has been affected by persistent violence in the north-east states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY), and armed banditry and kidnapping in states such as Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Benue, and Niger[4]. The reports also show that children are the most vulnerable to food insecurity with approximately 6 million of the 17 million food-insecure Nigerians today being children under 5 living in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara states. These North-Eastern States are hotspots for insecurity and malnutrition. According to the November 2022 World Food Programme Nigeria, WFP report, poor feeding practices and worsening food insecurity have continued to loom heavily. Ranking 163rd on the Human Development Index (HDI) for the second year in a row, Nigeria has also experienced the worst flooding in a decade, further eroding chances for improved food security among the most vulnerable[5]. Flooding occasioned by the prevalence of climate change in the country has largely impacted the availability and affordability of food resulting in the undesirable challenge of food insecurity. A report of the National Emergencies Management Agency [NEMA] shows, that the 2022 floods led to the destruction and washing away of over 675,000 hectares of farmland. One can only imagine the extent of the impact of this scale of destruction of farmlands on agricultural activities and food production across the country. Farmers, the majority of whom are small-scale farmers, lost not only crops and harvests, but also farm animals, poultry, fishery, and farm implements to the raging floods[6]. Regrettably, in 2022, countries that are highly dependent on food imports have seen a spike in food inflation, as the war in Ukraine and associated supply shortages caused sharp price hikes for wheat and other staples on top of high fuel and transportation costs resulting in a deterioration in food security. The prices of staple food in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have surged by an average of 23.9 percent in 2020-22 (Okou, Spray, and Unsal, 2022)[7]. It is against these backgrounds that have impacted negatively on the health, nutrition, and socio-economic lives of Nigerians that NOIPolls surveyed to feel the pulse of Nigerians regarding food security. Survey Findings The first question sought to gauge the opinion of respondents on what food insecurity is. The survey result revealed that a greater percentage (51 percent) of adult Nigerians nationwide affirmed that they know what food insecurity. On the other hand, 49 percent of the respondents stated otherwise. When asked if they think there is food insecurity in Nigeria. Findings show that the vast majority (90 percent) of the respondents answered in the affirmative with the North-East and North-West both (93 percent) having the highest proportion of respondents who made the assertion. However, 8 percent stated otherwise. Furthermore, a couple of statements that bother on food availability and feeding patterns were read to respondents in which they were asked to reply either ‘’yes’’ or ‘’no’’. Analysis shows that most of the respondents (89 percent) affirmed that they worry about whether the food they can afford to buy will be enough. Similarly, 88 percent worry about whether the food will run out before getting money to buy more. 81 percent of adult Nigerians interviewed reveal that they cut down the size of meals because they or their family did not have enough money for food. Further findings show that 80 percent of respondents affirmed they eat the same food for several days in a row because they lack money to buy varieties of food. Moreso, 70 percent lamented that they go hungry due to a lack of food. Additionally, 49 percent disclosed that they went to bed hungry because there was not enough money to buy food. When asked if they didn’t eat a whole day because their family did not have enough money for food, 40 percent also answered in the affirmative. Subsequently, when asked which factor has mostly impacted the food insecurity crisis in Nigeria, 28 percent pointed out insecurity (banditry/farmer-herders clashes), followed by unemployment (16 percent) and bad leadership (12 percent). Other factors mentioned are increment in fuel price/fuel subsidy (9 percent), increased transportation fare (8 percent), and amongst others. Additionally, adult Nigerians were asked to give recommendations on how food insecurity should be tackled, and findings show that 26 percent suggested that the government should tackle security, 14 percent advised that the government should improve agricultural policy, open all closed borders (12 percent), reduce fuel price (9 percent). Other suggestions include creating jobs (7 percent), addressing climate change (7 percent), mechanized farming (5 percent), price control/regulation (5 percent), other recommendations include encouraging people to go into farming (4 percent), subsidize agricultural input (3 percent), and encourage good governance (2 percent). Conclusion In conclusion, findings have shown that 51 percent of Nigerians interviewed know what food security is. Similarly, 90 percent affirmed that there is food insecurity in Nigeria with 28 percent citing herder-farmers clashes/insurgency as the top-most factor that has impacted food security in the country, followed by unemployment (16 percent) and bad leadership (14 percent) among others. To end the food security crisis in Nigeria, survey findings show that tackling insecurity (26 percent), improving agricultural policy (14 percent), and opening all closed borders (12 percent), were the top-mentioned recommendations for how food security could be improved in the country. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing October 23rd, 2023. It involved telephone interviews of a proportionate nationwide sample of 1,000 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geo-political regions 36 states, and the FCT of the country. Interviews were conducted in 5 languages – Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Pidgin English, and English. Although we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained were statistically precise – within a margin of error of plus or minus 4.65%; we recognize that the exclusive use of telephone polling has its limitation of excluding non-phone-owning Nigerians. Nonetheless, with the country’s tele density put over 100 percent by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), we consider our telephone polling approach appropriate. Also, given the rigorous scientific process of randomization and stratification applied, we can confidently stand by the validity of our methodology and approach. NOIPolls Limited, No. 1 for country-specific polling services in West Africa. We conduct periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria. More information is available at www.noi-polls.com. Disclaimer This press release has been produced by NOIPolls Limited to provide information on all issues that form the subject matter of the document. Kindly note that while we are willing to share results from our polls with the public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as authors whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited, or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect the views of respondents surveyed for the poll, and background information is based on information from various sources that it believes are reliable; however, no representation is made that it is accurate or complete. Whilst reasonable care has been taken in preparing this document, no responsibility or liability is accepted for errors or facts, or any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken because of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions, or views herein constitute a judgment as of the date of this document. If the date of this document is not current, the views and content may not reflect NOIPolls' current findings and/or thinking. Press Contact Email: editor@noi-polls.com cakubue@noi-polls.com nohuche@noi-polls.com Number: Tel: +234 (0) 813 547 4512 +234 (0) 813 749 6113 [1]https://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/state-emergency-declaration-food-security-policy-brief-august-2023 [2]https://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/state-emergency-declaration-food-security-policy-brief-august-2023 [3]https://www.google.com/search?q=food+security+definition&oq=food+security&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgCEAAYgAQyDwgAEEUYOxiDARixAxiABDIMCAEQRRg7GLEDGIAEMgcIAhAAGIAEMgYIAxBFGEAyBwgEEAAYgAQyBwgFEAAYgAQyBwgGEAAYgAQyBwgHEAAYgATSA [4] 25 million Nigerians at high risk of food insecurity in 2023 (unicef.org) [5] docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000145610/download/ [6] https://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/state-emergency-declaration-food-security-policy-brief-august-2023 [7] Food Insecurity in Nigeria: Food Supply Matters: Nigeria (imf.org)

Abuja, Nigeria. July 11, 2023 – A new public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls has revealed that 73 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide lamented the negative impact of subsidy removal as the fuel cost has affected their spending on other commodities. Additionally, 10 percent of adult Nigerians disclosed they can no longer sustain their businesses, another 10 percent complained that they now spend more on transportation fares while 3 percent criticized the high cost of goods and services. As a coping mechanism, 2 percent revealed that they have reduced their spending while another 2 percent indicated that they have also reduced the number of days they work. On the flip side, 5 percent of Nigerians claimed the removal of subsidy has no impact on them. According to the Daily Post Newspaper publication of 4th July 2023, it stated that the citizens are grappling with the effect of fuel subsidy removal, increasing the prices of transportation and goods and services[1]. More findings from the polls revealed 52 percent of Nigerians believe the fuel subsidy removal is not worth the impact. Also, 50 percent disclosed that they are unable to buy fuel at its current price range of #537- #549 as it is too expensive for them. With regards to recommendations, 22 percent advised that the Federal Government should increase the minimum wage and salaries to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal. Other suggestions include ensuring a uniform price of fuel across Nigeria (16 percent), provision of buses to subsidize transportation (8 percent), fixing non-functional refineries (6 percent), and creation of empowerment programs (5 percent). These are some of the key findings from the Fuel Subsidy Poll conducted in the week commencing 9th June 2023. Survey Background At his inauguration on Monday 29th of May 2023, President Tinubu announced the total removal of the highly controversial fuel subsidy resulting in high prices and long queues nationwide.[2] Given the announcement, there were concerns as Nigerians rushed to buy fuel before its cost increases even further. The fuel price was expected to jump from the official pump price of 185 naira to between 350 and 550 naira.[3] To the dismay of Nigerians, petrol stations immediately increased pump prices upon hearing the announcement. This poll was carried out before the current fuel price of 617 naira per litre. Successive administrations attempted to remove the subsidy but failed to do so because it is widely popular among citizens, many of whom consider it their major – or only – benefit from the federal government.[4] It gradually became a heavy burden to the government as the cost of maintaining the subsidy increased over the years. Subsidy payments have always been thwarted by issues of corruption and a lack of fiscal transparency. According to a news report, in 2012, a 200-page report released by a parliamentary inquiry uncovered a $6bn fraud, involving officials at the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) – now a limited company.[5] Since then, Governors and Members of Parliament have routinely called for an investigation into NNPC and a review of subsidy payments to oil marketers. Furthermore, ahead of the February 2023 election, all four major Presidential candidates promised to remove the fuel subsidy and introduce oil sector reforms in their manifesto, signifying a consensus among the political class to do away with the assistance.[6] Against this background, NOIPolls conducted a poll to feel the pulse of Nigerians regarding petrol subsidy removal and hereby presents its findings. Survey Findings The first question sought to gauge the awareness of Nigerians on the fuel subsidy removal by the Federal government. Findings revealed a vast majority (95 percent) of adult Nigerians nationwide responded in the affirmative. This response cuts across gender, geographical locations, and age-group with at least 92 percent representation. On the other hand, 5 percent of the respondents stated otherwise. Furthermore, respondents were asked if they are in support of fuel subsidy removal. The poll result showed that 55 percent of the respondents affirmed that they are in support of fuel subsidy removal. The South-West zone (74 percent) accounted for the highest number of respondents with this assertion. On the contrary, 45 percent of respondents indicated that they are not in support of the decision. Similarly, when asked why they support the removal of fuel subsidies, the survey revealed that a higher number of respondents believe that the decision will curb corruption in the oil industry (30 percent). In addition, 28 percent said that it will help grow other sectors of the economy. Other reasons mentioned include it will reduce government spending/borrowing (6 percent), it will regulate fuel prices in the future (6 percent), everybody will benefit from it (6 percent), it will help reduce oil theft (5 percent), it will help fix our refineries (4 percent), subsidy money will be used to create jobs (4 percent), and it will lead to product availability (3 percent). On the contrary, further analysis showed 40 percent of respondents who do not support the fuel subsidy removal cited reasons as because it caused high prices of goods and services. Other reasons stated include increased hardship and suffering (38 percent), timing being too sudden (5 percent), no measure put in place to cushion the effect (4 percent), the high price of fuel (3 percent), and that it has affected businesses negatively (3 percent). Subsequently, the survey sought to know how the removal of fuel subsidy has impacted the daily activities of Nigerians. A larger proportion (73 percent) of adult Nigerians revealed that it has caused an increase in their spending while 10 percent lamented that they can no longer sustain their business. 10 percent revealed that it has caused an increase in transportation fares amongst other mentions. Interestingly, 5 percent of the respondents interviewed revealed that fuel subsidy removal has no impact on them. To find out whether the removal of fuel subsidy is worth the impact or not, the poll posed the question to citizens; ‘’ Do you think the removal of fuel subsidy is worth the impact? Analysis shows a mixed reaction as 47 percent of Nigerians believe the removal of subsidy is worth the impact, while 52 percent do not think the removal of fuel subsidy is worth the impact. Consequently, the survey measures the opinions of citizens on the price they would no longer be able to afford to buy fuel. The poll result showed that half of the respondents (50 percent) disclosed that they consider the price range ₦537 – ₦549 too high for them to pay. With regards to what should be done to reduce the ripple effect of fuel subsidy removal, 22 percent of respondents advised the Federal Government to increase the minimum wage and salaries. While 16 percent suggest uniformity in petrol pump prices across the country, 8 percent want the government to provide buses to subsidize transport. Also, 12 percent advocated that government should fix non-functioning refineries and regulate food prices, 5 percent suggested that the government should create empowerment programs to improve the economy amongst others Conclusion In conclusion, the poll has shown that Nigerians are aware the federal government has removed fuel subsidies. It is also worthy of note 73 percent of Nigerians reported that subsidy removal has impacted their daily activities causing an increase in their spending pattern. Although 55 percent of Nigerians revealed that they support the removal of subsidies, 22 percent recommend the federal government should increase the minimum wage and salaries, while 16 percent advised that the government should ensure a uniform price of fuel across the country. Additionally, 8 percent suggested that the federal government should provide buses to subsidize transportation. Finally, the federal government should take urgent steps to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal given the ripple effect on people’s spending patterns, ensure accountability for monies accrued from fuel subsidies and ensure proceeds are used for the overall development of the nation. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing 9th of June 2023. It involved telephone interviews of a proportionate nationwide sample of 1,000 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geo-political regions and 36 states, and the FCT of the country. Interviews were conducted in 5 languages – Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Pidgin English, and English. Although we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained were statistically precise – within a margin of error of plus or minus 4.65%; we recognize that the exclusive use of telephone polling has its limitation of excluding non-phone-owning Nigerians. Nonetheless, with the country’s tele density put over 100 percent by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), we consider our telephone polling approach appropriate. Also, given the rigorous scientific process of randomization and stratification applied, we can confidently stand by the validity of our methodology and approach. NOIPolls Limited, No. 1 for country-specific polling services in West Africa. We conduct periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria. More information is available at www.noi-polls.com. Disclaimer This press release has been produced by NOIPolls Limited to provide information on all issues which form the subject matter of the document. Kindly note that while we are willing to share results from our polls with the public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as authors whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited, or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect the views of respondents surveyed for the poll, and background information is based on information from various sources that it believes are reliable; however, no representation is made that it is accurate or complete. Whilst reasonable care has been taken in preparing this document, no responsibility or liability is accepted for errors or facts, or any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken because of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions, or views herein constitute a judgment as of the date of this document. If the date of this document is not current, the views and content may not reflect NOIPolls' current findings and/or thinking. Press Contact Email: editor@noi-polls.com cakubue@noi-polls.com nohuche@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 - 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 1 https://dailypost.ng/2023/07/04/fuel-subsidy-removal-n400bn-savings-raises-questions/ [2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/31/nigeria-fuel-subsidy-cut-spiralling-costs-all-you-need-to-know [3] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/31/nigeria-fuel-subsidy-cut-spiralling-costs-all-you-need-to-know [4] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/31/nigeria-fuel-subsidy-cut-spiralling-costs-all-you-need-to-know [5] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/31/nigeria-fuel-subsidy-cut-spiralling-costs-all-you-need-to-know [6] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/31/nigeria-fuel-subsidy-cut-spiralling-costs-all-you-need-to-know

Abuja, Nigeria. November 7th, 2023 – Ahead of the forthcoming Imo State Gubernatorial elections slated for November 11th, 2023, a new public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls has favored the current governor of the state, His Excellency Governor Hope Uzodinma, candidate of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) to win the governorship race over Nneji Achonu, candidate of Labour Party. This pre-election poll result reveals a substantial 21 percent point gap between the two top candidates. When asked who respondents will be voting for in the upcoming November 11th, 2023, governorship elections in Imo State, Uzodinma led the list of candidates with 26 percent, while the next candidate, Achonu Nneji had 5 percent. However, 37 percent of those polled are undecided as to their choice of candidate while 26 percent refused to disclose their choice candidates; and it is believed this significant proportion of voters would be critical in deciding who eventually wins the race. Interestingly, the poll showed that 79 percent of the eligible voters in the state are registered to vote in the coming election, and 98 percent of this proportion disclosed that they have their permanent voters’ card (PVC); with 7 in 10 (70 percent) absolutely certain that they will cast their vote on 11th of November 2023. In conclusion, this poll has clearly pitched Uzodinma as a top favorite in the November 11th governorship election given his substantial 21 percent point lead over Achonu. However, as party campaigns build up to the election day, the findings of this poll clearly suggest that the significant proportion of undecided voters (37 percent) and those who refused to disclose their choice candidates (26 percent) remain critical to determining who emerges victorious at the poll. About NOIPolls & the Poll Methodology NOIPolls is Nigeria’s premier public opinion polling institution, which conducts periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria. More information is available at www.noi-polls.com. The poll was conducted in the week commencing October 30th, 2023. It involved telephone interviews of a random state-wide sample in Imo State. 500 randomly selected phone-owning residents of the state aged 18 years and above, representing the three senatorial districts of the state, were interviewed. With a sample of this size, we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained are statistically precise - within a range of plus or minus 4.65%. Of the 500 completed interviews, 50 percent were male and 50 percent female respondents. Samples for the poll were selected randomly for the senatorial districts in representation of the state’s population – Imo North (22 percent), Imo East (36 percent), and Imo West (42 percent). Also, 24 percent of respondents were aged between 18 and 35 years; 65 percent between 36 and 60 years; and 11 percent above 61 years. In terms of employment status of respondents, top 6 respondents are: Self-employed/Petty traders (36 percent), Businessmen/women (18 percent), Civil servants (15 percent), Professional workers (9 percent), Artisans (5 percent) and Unemployed (4 percent). Press Contact Email: editor@noi-polls.com cakubue@noi-polls.com nohuche@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0)8135474512

Abuja, Nigeria. November 7th, 2023 – Ahead of the forthcoming Kogi State Gubernatorial elections slated for November 11th, 2023, a new public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls reveals a close race in the Kogi State Governorship seat between the top two contenders: candidate of the SDP, Yakubu Murtala (20 percent), and candidate of the APC, Ahmed Usman Ododo (14 percent), with marginal six (6) percent point gap between the two. Interestingly, the poll revealed that 89 percent of the eligible voters in the state are registered to vote in the coming election, and 99 percent of this proportion claimed to have obtained their Permanent Voters Card (PVC). In addition, 86 percent were absolutely certain that they would come out and vote for the gubernatorial candidate of their choice on 11th of November 2023. However, in spite of this level of optimism and preparedness, a significant proportion of respondents remain either undecided (19 percent) or simply refused (18 percent) to divulge their choice of candidate. In conclusion, although Yakubu Murtala of SDP currently leads the race with a 6-point margin, we opine that the election remains a keenly contested race between the two leading candidates (Yakubu Murtala of SDP and Ahmed Usman Ododo of APC). This is mainly due to a very significant proportion of voters who remain either undecided (19 percent) or seek confidentiality (18 percent) as to their choice of candidate. Also, there are clear gaps across gender, senatorial districts, and age-group within those who refused to disclose their preferred choice and the undecided voter’s demography, which will ultimately swing the election result in favour of one candidate over other. About NOIPolls & the Poll Methodology NOIPolls is Nigeria’s premier public opinion polling institution, which conducts periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria. More information is available at www.noi-polls.com. The poll was conducted between the 1st and 6th November 2023. It involved telephone interviews of a random state-wide sample in Kogi State. 500 randomly selected phone-owning residents of the state aged 18 years and above, representing the three senatorial districts of the state, were interviewed. With a sample of this size, we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained are statistically precise - within a range of plus or minus 4.65%. Of the 500 completed interviews, 50 percent were male and 50 percent female respondents. Samples for the poll were selected randomly for the senatorial districts in representation of the state’s population – Kogi West (29 percent), Kogi Central (28 percent), and Kogi East (43 percent). Also, 26 percent of respondents were aged between 18 and 35 years; 67 percent between 36 and 60 years; and 7 percent above 61 years. In terms of employment status of respondents, top 6 respondents are: Self-employed/Petty traders (31 percent), Businessmen/women (17 percent), Civil servants (17 percent), Professional workers (9 percent), Artisans (8 percent) and Unemployed (5 percent). Press Contact Email: editor@noi-polls.com cakubue@noi-polls.com nohuche@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0)8135474512

Dispatch No. 708 | 29 September 2023 Afrobarometer Dispatch No. 708 | Sunday Joseph Duntoye and Raphael Mbaegbu Summary More than three-fourths of Nigerians (77%) are aged 35 or younger. The median age is 17 (United Nations, 2022; Worldometer, 2023). The country’s youthful potential is glaringly obvious, as are the dangers of failing to lay the necessary social, economic, and infrastructure foundations for young people’s success (Baiye, 2022). Beyond providing free primary and early secondary education and offering some technical/vocation training, the government lays out a wide variety of interventions in its National Youth Policy, ranging from study loan schemes for tertiary students and mass literacy centres for out-of-school youth to a job-matching programme for National Youth Service Corps graduates and enterprise development and incubation centres (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2019). In 2018, the “Not Too Young to Run” law opened space for youth political participation, including lowering the minimum ages for political candidates (from 40 to 35 for would-be presidents) (Amaza, 2022). Yet millions of young Nigerians confront unemployment, limited opportunities for skills development, and other systemic challenges that limit their participation in social, economic, and political activities (Abdullahi & Saka, 2023). Nigeria ranks as a “low youth development” country, 161st out of 181 countries, in the Global Youth Development Index, with particularly low scores on employment and opportunity (173rd) and peace and security (168th) (Commonwealth, 2021; Punch, 2021). The Afrobarometer Round 9 survey (2022) offers some insights into the situation of Nigeria’s youth (defined here as citizens aged 18-35). Findings show that young people are more educated than their elders, but also more likely to be unemployed. Security, unemployment, and the economy are the most important problems on the minds of young Nigerians, who think their government is doing a poor job on all of these issues. Most see their country as headed in the wrong direction. Despite their dissatisfaction, Nigerian youth are less likely than their elders to engage in political processes. Afrobarometer surveys Afrobarometer is a pan-African, nonpartisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Nine rounds of surveys have been completed in up to 42 countries since 1999. Round 9 surveys (2021/2023) cover 39 countries. Afrobarometer conducts face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice. The Afrobarometer team in Nigeria, led by NOIPolls, interviewed a nationally representative, random, stratified probability sample of 1,600 adult Nigerians in March 2022. A sample of this size yields country-level results with a margin of error of +/-2.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Previous standard surveys were conducted in Nigeria in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2020. Key findings Seven in 10 young Nigerians (70%) have secondary or post-secondary education, outstripping educational attainment among older generations. But youth (aged 18-35) are also more likely than their elders to be unemployed: 24% say they are not employed and are looking for jobs, compared to 11%-16% of older age groups. Crime/security, unemployment, and management of the economy are the most important problems that the government must address, according to young Nigerians. Among young citizens, approval ratings of the government’s performance have plummeted to 14% on economic management, 18% on job creation, 21% on crime, and 27% on education. Most youth say the country is going in “the wrong direction” (87%) and offer negative assessments of the nation’s economy (84%) and their personal living conditions (69%). About half (49%) expect things to improve over the coming year. Young citizens are less likely than their elders to engage in political and civic activities such as voting in elections, attending community meetings, joining with others to raise an issue, and contacting elected officials, though their contact with local government councilors and members of Parliament has been increasing in recent years. Download Report Here Education and employment status Nigeria’s youth (aged 18-35) have more education than their elders. Seven in 10 young respondents (70%) report having secondary or post-secondary education, compared to 67%, 63%, and 50% of the older cohorts (Figure 1). Youth are somewhat less likely than older citizens to have post-secondary qualifications (22%, vs. 28% of those aged 56 and above) but far more likely to have secondary schooling (48%, vs. 22% of the oldest group). Figure 1: Level of education | by age group | Nigeria| 2022 Respondents were asked: What is your highest level of education? While they are more educated than their elders, young Nigerians are also more likely to be unemployed. About one in four youth (24%) say they are not employed and are looking for a job, compared to 11%-16% of older adults (Figure 2). These youth who are unemployed (i.e. not employed and looking for work) include 4% who identify as students (Figure 3). In addition, 33% of young respondents say they are not employed and are not looking for work, including 10% who identify as students. Figure 2: Unemployment rate | by age group | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: Do you have a job that pays a cash income? [If yes:] Is it full time or part time? [If no:] Are you currently looking for a job? Figure 3: Employment and student status | respondents aged 18-35 years | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: Do you have a job that pays a cash income? [If yes:] Is it full time or part time? [If no:] Are you currently looking for a job? What is your main occupation? [If not currently working:] What was your last main occupation? (% who say “student”) Priorities for action For young Nigerians, crime/security and unemployment (each cited by 38%) are the two most important problems that the government must address (Figure 4). These are followed by management of the economy (37%), electricity (34%), poverty (24%), water supply (22%), infrastructure/roads (22%), and education (22%). Youth don’t differ hugely from their elders in their priorities for government action, though they are somewhat more likely to focus on unemployment (by a 9-percentage-point margin compared to those over age 55), poverty, and corruption and somewhat less likely to cite health as a top problem. Figure 4: Most important problems | by age group | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: In your opinion, what are the most important problems facing this country that government should address? (Up to three responses per person; figure shows % of respondents who cite each problem among their three priorities.) Evaluation of government performance Like their elders, young Nigerians are highly critical of the government’s performance on key issues affecting their lives. Fewer than one in five say the government is doing “fairly well” or “very well” on managing the economy (14%) and creating jobs (18%), while only 21% approve of government efforts to reduce crime and 27% give positive appraisals on addressing educational needs (Figure 5). Young Nigerians’ assessments of the government’s performance on these three key issues have varied widely over the past decade, hitting high points – highest approval – in the 2017 survey and dropping to low points in 2022 (Figure 6). Figure 5: Approval of government performance on the economy, jobs, crime, and education | by age group | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: How well or badly would you say the current government is handling the following matters, or haven’t you heard enough to say? (% who say “fairly well” or “very well”) Figure 6: Youth approval of government performance on the economy, jobs, crime, and education | respondents aged 18-35 years | Nigeria | 2012-2022 Respondents were asked: How well or badly would you say the current government is handling the following matters, or haven’t you heard enough to say? (% who say “fairly well” or “very well”) Views on country’s direction and economic situation Overall, young Nigerians are only marginally less pessimistic than their elders about their country’s direction: 87% say Nigeria is headed in “the wrong direction” compared to 91%-92% of middle-aged and older citizens (Figure 7). Figure 7: Country’s direction | by age group | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: Would you say that the country is going in the wrong direction or going in the right direction? More than eight out of 10 young Nigerians (84%) describe the country’s economic condition as “fairly bad” or “very bad,” roughly matching assessments by other age groups (Figure 8). And a strong majority (69%) say their personal living conditions are bad as well, only slightly less negative than older cohorts (75%-76%). Figure 8: Negative assessments of country’s economy and personal living conditions | by age group | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: In general, how would you describe: The present economic condition of this country? Your own present living conditions? (% who say “fairly bad” or “very bad”) Only about one in eight youth (13%) think the country’s economic conditions have improved over the past year, while 70% say they have worsened. Though overwhelmingly negative, these assessments are somewhat more positive than those offered by older citizens (Figure 9). Young citizens express about the same level of optimism as their elders about the near future: Half (49%) think things will get better over the next 12 months, while 26% expect them to get worse and 18% look ahead to more of the same. Figure 9: Retrospective and prospective assessments of country’s economic conditions | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: Looking back, how do you rate economic conditions in this country compared to 12 months ago? Looking ahead, do you expect economic conditions in this country to be better or worse in 12 months’ time? Political engagement Considering young Nigerians’ dissatisfaction with economic conditions, the country’s overall direction, and their government’s performance, to what extent do they engage in political and civic processes in pursuit of change? Survey findings suggest that youth have room to extend their potential influence through pathways such as contacting their elected officials, joining with others to express their concerns, and voting in elections. Three in 10 young respondents (30%) say they contacted a local government councillor about an important issue at least once during the year preceding the survey, a lower contact rate than recorded for their elders (36%-45%) (Figure 10). Only 18% report having contacted a member of Parliament (MP), about average for all age groups (18-21%). However, young people’s contact with elected representatives has been increasing, roughly tripling over the past decade with regard to local government councillors (from 11% in 2013 to 30% in 2022) and MPs (from 6% to 18%) (Figure 11). Figure 10: Contacted political representatives during previous year | by age group | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: During the past year, how often have you contacted any of the following persons about some important problem or to give them your views? (% who say “only once,” “a few times,” or “often”) Figure 11: Youth contact with political representatives | respondents aged 18-35 years | Nigeria | 2012-2022 Respondents were asked: During the past year, how often have you contacted any of the following persons about some important problem or to give them your views? (% who say “only once,” “a few times,” or “often”) Youth also lag behind their elders when it comes to voting, identifying with political parties, attending community meetings, and joining others to raise an issue (Figure 12). While about two-thirds (68%) of 18- to 35-year-olds say they voted in the most recent national election in 2019 (excluding those who were too young to vote), that’s a considerably lower rate than reported by older cohorts (81%-87%). Youth are also somewhat less likely to say they “feel close to” a political party (35%,vs. 42%-56% of older citizens). About four in 10 young respondents (41%) say they joined others to raise an issue during the previous year, compared to 56%-75% among older age cohorts. One in 10 (10%) report having participated in a demonstration or protest march during the past 12 months, which is about average for the adult population (9%). Figure 12: Political participation | by age group | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: In the last national election, held in 2019, did you vote, or not, or were you too young to vote? Or can’t you remember whether you voted? (Respondents who were too young to vote in 2019 are excluded.) Do you feel close to any particular political party? Here is a list of actions that people sometimes take as citizens. For each of these, please tell me whether you, personally, have done any of these things during the past year: Attended a community meeting? Got together with others to raise an issue? Participated in a demonstration or protest march? (% who say “once or twice,” “several times,” or “often”) Among youth, self-reported voting in elections, joining others to raise an issue, attending community meetings, and participation in protests climbed to high points in the 2020 survey and then dropped to significantly lower levels in 2022 (Figure 13). Identification with political parties was highest in 2014 (67%) and dropped by almost half to 35% in 2022. Figure 13: Youth political participation | respondents aged 18-35 years | Nigeria | 2012-2022 Respondents were asked: In the last national election, held in [year], did you vote, or not, or were you too young to vote? Or can’t you remember whether you voted? (Respondents who were too young to vote are excluded.) Do you feel close to any particular political party? Here is a list of actions that people sometimes take as citizens. For each of these, please tell me whether you, personally, have done any of these things during the past year: Attended a community meeting? Got together with others to raise an issue? Participated in a demonstration or protest march? (% who say “once or twice,” “several times,” or “often”) Conclusion Nigeria’s youth are more educated and less employed than their elders. Most are pessimistic in their assessments of their country’s economy and overall direction. Insecurity, unemployment, and economic management top the list of their policy priorities – all issues on which most youth think the government is failing. Survey findings also suggest that young Nigerians are not fully exploiting their potential in political and civic processes to ensure that their voices are heard, their concerns are addressed, and their futures are secured. References Abdullahi, M., & Saka, N. (2023). Youth unemployment as a challenge to democratic consolidation in Nigeria. Zamfara Journal of Politics and Development, 4(1), 310-319. Amaza, M. (2022). Still too young to run? Heinrich Böll Stiftung. 19 October. Baiye, B. (2022). Is Nigeria’s current demographic trend a dividend or a disaster? Nigeria Health Wach. 16 June. Commonwealth. (2021). Global youth development index and report 2020. Federal Republic of Nigeria. (2019). National youth policy: Enhancing youth development and participation in the context of sustainable development. Punch. (2021). Nigeria ranks 161st of 181 countries on youth education, employment. 10 August. United Nations. (2022). World population prospects 2022. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Worldometer. (2023). Nigeria population. Sunday Joseph Duntoye is the head of data analytics/senior survey methodologist for NOIPolls, the Afrobarometer national partner in Nigeria. Email: sduntoye@noi-polls.com. Raphael Mbaegbu is the head of social research and Afrobarometer project manager for NOIPolls. Email: rmbaegbu@noi-polls.com. Afrobarometer, a nonprofit corporation with headquarters in Ghana, is a pan-African, nonpartisan research network. Regional coordination of national partners in about 35 countries is provided by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) in South Africa, and the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Nairobi in Kenya. Michigan State University (MSU) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) provide technical support to the network. Financial support for Afrobarometer is provided by Sweden via the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) via the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, the Open Society Foundations - Africa, Luminate, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Mastercard Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the European Union Commission, the World Bank Group, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Uganda, the Embassy of Sweden in Zimbabwe, the Global Centre for Pluralism, and GIZ. Donations help Afrobarometer give voice to African citizens. Please consider making a contribution (at www.afrobarometer.org) or contact Felix Biga (felixbiga@afrobarometer.org) or Runyararo Munetsi (runyararo@afrobarometer.org) to discuss institutional funding. Follow our releases on #VoicesAfrica. Afrobarometer Dispatch No. 708 | 29 September 2023

Summary Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy, most populous country, and home to a wealth of natural resources, particularly oil and natural gas. Its multiple ecological zones have given rise to a wide range of livelihoods, agricultural practices, and commodities, all of which are affected by climate change and shocks. After devastating floods last year killed more than 600 Nigerians and displaced hundreds of thousands, scientists made headlines with their finding that the disaster was made “80 times more likely” by climate change (Kabukuru, 2022; VoA, 2022; BBC, 2022). And while such a precise estimate may be open to debate, few scientists doubt that climate change will continue to put Nigerians’ livelihoods and lives at ever-increasing risk. Frequent flooding joins drought, increasing temperatures, and rising sea levels among the climate-change threats the country faces, with cascading consequences that include diminished crop yields, reduced livestock production, food shortages, income loss, infrastructure damage, and a mounting burden of disease, such as an upsurge in malaria cases (Daily Trust, 2022; World Bank, 2021; Guardian, 2021). The Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (2022) ranking of Nigeria in 154th place out of 185 countries reflects high vulnerability to climate change and extremely low readiness – 14th-worst in the world – to confront the threat. In addition to committing to regional and global agreements such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the government has outlined strategies and plans to strengthen the country’s climate resilience in its National Climate Change Policy for Nigeria 2021-2030 (Federal Ministry of Environment, 2021). Another milestone was former President Muhammadu Buhari’s signing of the Climate Change Actin 2021, providing a legal framework for the country’s climate objectives (PwC Nigeria, 2022; Cable, 2021). This dispatch reports on a special survey module included in the Afrobarometer Round 9 questionnaire to explore Nigerians’ experiences and perceptions of climate change. Findings show that a majority of Nigerians remain unfamiliar with the concept of climate change. Among those who are aware, most say it is making life worse. While citizens believe they can play a role in limiting climate change, most say the government must take the lead, with support from the private sector and more developed countries. Afrobarometer surveys Afrobarometer is a pan-African, nonpartisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Nine rounds of surveys have been completed in up to 42 countries since 1999. Round 9 surveys (2021/2023) cover 39 countries. Afrobarometer conducts face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice. The Afrobarometer team in Nigeria, led by NOIPolls, interviewed a nationally representative, random, stratified probability sample of 1,600 adult Nigerians in March 2022. A sample of this size yields country-level results with a margin of error of +/-2.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Previous standard surveys were conducted in Nigeria in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2020. Key findings More than half of Nigerians say droughts (51%) and floods (56%) have become less severe over the past 10 years. Only three in 10 adults (30%) have heard of climate change. Among those who are aware of climate change: Two-thirds (66%) say it is making life in Nigeria worse. Seven in 10 (69%) believe that ordinary citizens can help curb climate change. Similarly, 71% want the government to take immediate action to limit climate change, even it is expensive, causes job losses, or takes a toll on the economy. While 69% think ordinary citizens can help limit climate change, most Nigerians (76%) assign primary responsibility for addressing climate change to their government. Large majorities say the fight against climate change requires “a lot more” effort from the government (885%), business and industry (75%), developed countries (73%), and citizens (58%). Six in 10 citizens (61%) say the government is doing a poor job of addressing climate change. Severity of extreme weather conditions Before asking about climate change, Afrobarometer asked about respondents’ experiences with extreme weather conditions. Half (51%) of Nigerians say droughts have become “somewhat less severe” or “much less severe” in the area where they live over the past 10 years. A quarter (25%) say droughts have become more severe, and 19% report no change (Figure 1). Similarly, a majority of citizens (56%) say floods have decreased in severity, while 23% say they have gotten worse. These findings are almost identical to those reported in 2017 (Figure 2). Figure 1: Severity of droughts and floods | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: In your experience, over the past 10 years, has there been any change in the severity of the following events in the area where you live? Have they become more severe, less severe, or stayed about the same? Figure 2: Severity of droughts and floods | Nigeria | 2017-2022 Respondents were asked: In your experience, over the past 10 years, has there been any change in the severity of the following events in the area where you live? Drought? Flood? (% who say “somewhat more severe” or “much more severe”) Rural residents are more likely than urban residents to report increasingly severe droughts (30% vs. 18%) and increasingly severe floods (26% vs. 19%), perhaps reflecting a greater awareness of the effects of weather in more agricultural areas (Figure 3). Economically well-off respondents (those experiencing low or no “lived poverty”[1]) are less likely to report increasingly severe droughts or floods, conceivably because they are more sheltered than their less-well-off counterparts. Figure 3: More severe droughts and floods | by urban-rural residence and lived poverty | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: In your experience, over the past 10 years, has there been any change in the severity of the following events in the area where you live? (% who say “somewhat more severe” or “much more severe”) Climate change Awareness of climate change Lack of awareness can be a major obstacle to climate-change adaptation in developing countries (Shahid & Piracha, 2016). In Nigeria, only three in 10 (30%) say they have heard of climate change. This is the same level of awareness reported in 2020 but 20 percentage points lower than in 2017 (50%), when public awareness of a lack of rain may have been unusually high (Figure 4). Although the experience of increasingly severe drought is more common in rural areas, awareness of climate change is lower among rural residents than urbanites (26% vs. 35%) (Figure 5). Poorer citizens are less familiar with the term “climate change” (24% among those with high lived poverty vs. 39% among better-off citizens). Awareness of climate change gathers strength as respondents’ education level rises: The most educated respondents are six times as likely to be familiar with the concept as the uneducated (62% vs.10%). More men (36%) than women (23%) are aware of climate change, and older respondents are more likely than the youngest to know about the phenomenon (34% vs. 26%). Figure 4: Awareness of climate change | Nigeria | 2017-2022 Respondents were asked: Have you heard about climate change, or haven’t you had the chance to hear about this yet? Figure 5: Awareness of climate change | by demographic group | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: Have you heard about climate change, or haven’t you had the chance to hear about this yet? (% who say “yes”) Awareness of climate change increases with respondents’ consumption of news via most media platforms. Among those who never or seldom (less than once a month) get news from the radio, television, social media, the Internet, or newspapers, only 12%-23% have heard of climate change (Figure 6). But awareness of climate change is significantly higher among respondents who get news “every day” o “a few times a week” from newspapers (64%), the Internet (52%), social media (51%), television (46%), and radio (37%). Figure 6: Awareness of climate change | by news media consumption | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents were asked: How often do you get news from the following sources? Have you heard about climate change, or haven’t you had the chance to hear about this yet? (% who say “yes”) Effects of climate change Among citizens who are aware of climate change, two-thirds (66%) say it is making life in Nigeria “somewhat worse” (40%) or “much worse” (26%). Only about three in 10 say it is making life better (14%) or has had no effect on their lives (17%) (Figure 7). Perceptions of the adverse effect of climate change have increased sharply from 2020 (44%) after decreasing from 2017 (52%). The negative impact of climate change is felt more widely in rural areas than in cities (70% vs. 62%) (Figure 8). Citizens who are 56 or older (75%) and those experiencing high lived poverty (75%) are also more likely to report negative effects than their younger and better-off counterparts, as are respondents with secondary or post-secondary education (67%-68%) compared to those with primary schooling or less (52%-58%). Figure 7: Effect of climate change | Nigeria | 2017-2022 Respondents who are aware of climate change were asked: Do you think climate change is making life in Nigeria better or worse, or haven’t you heard enough to say? (Respondents who are not aware of climate change are excluded.) Figure 8: Climate change is making life worse | by demographic group | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents who are aware of climate change were asked: Do you think climate change is making life in Nigeria better or worse, or haven’t you heard enough to say? (% who say “somewhat worse” or “much worse”) (Respondents who are not aware of climate change are excluded.) Fighting climate change Large majorities of Nigerians believe that both ordinary citizens and the government have a role to play in limiting climate change. About seven in 10 respondents (69%) who are aware of climate change “agree” or “strongly agree” that citizens can help curb climate change (Figure 9). A similar proportion (71%) want their government to take steps now to limit climate change, even if it is expensive, causes job losses, or takes a toll on the economy. However, when it comes to who holds the primary responsibility for fighting climate change and reducing its impact, three-quarters (76%) of respondents point to the government (Figure 10). Far fewer assign lead responsibility to ordinary citizens (14%), developed countries (3%), and business and industry (2%). Figure 9: Limiting climate change | Nigeria| 2022 Respondents who are aware of climate change were asked: For each of the following statements, please tell me whether you disagree or agree: Ordinary Nigerians can play a role in limiting climate change. It is important for our government to take steps now to limit climate change in the future, even if it is expensive or causes some job losses or other harm to our economy. (Respondents who are not aware of climate change are excluded.) Figure 10: Who has primary responsibility for limiting climate change? | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents who are aware of climate change were asked: Who do you think should have primary responsibility for trying to limit climate change and reduce its impact? (Respondents who are not aware of climate change are excluded.) Are stakeholders doing enough to limit climate change? Respondents answer with a resounding “No.” Only very small minorities say business and industry (1%), the government (2%), developed countries (4%), and citizens (8%) are making enough of an effort to fight climate change (Figure 11). Large majorities believe more needs to be done, including 85% who say the government needs to do “a lot more.” Figure 11: Are stakeholders doing enough to limit climate change? | Nigeria | 2022 Respondents who are aware of climate change were asked: Do you think each of the following are doing enough to limit climate change, or do they need to do more, or haven’t you heard enough to say? (Respondents who are not aware of climate change are excluded.) When asked to assess how well the government is addressing the problem of climate change, only two in 10 survey respondents (20%) describe the government’s performance as “fairly” or “very” good, while 61% rate the government poorly on this issue (Figure 12). Southerners are particularly critical of the government’s handling of climate-change issues: Only 8% approve, while 68% disapprove. Negative assessments are also more common among more educated citizens. Figure 12: Government performance in handling climate change | by demographic group | Nigeria| 2022 Respondents were asked: How well or badly would you say the current government is handling the following matters, or haven’t you heard enough to say: Addressing the problem of climate change? Conclusion Survey findings reflect relatively low awareness of climate change among Nigerians, especially among rural residents and citizens with little education and infrequent access to news – factors that suggest an opportunity to create greater awareness and popular support for climate action. Among those who are familiar with climate change, majorities say it is making life worse and requires immediate government action, even if such policies and programmes are expensive or take a toll on the economy. Similarly, large majorities are dissatisfied with efforts by other stakeholders, including business and industry, more developed countries, and ordinary citizens, and demand that they do more to help curb the negative effects of climate change. References Kabukuru, W. (2022). Nigeria floods 80 times more likely with climate change. Associated Press. 16 November. BBC. (2022). Nigeria floods: 'Overwhelming' disaster leaves more than 600 people dead. 16 October. Cable. (2021). Key features and significance of Nigeria’s new climate change law. 22 November. Daily Trust. (2022). Seven major ways climate change affects Nigerians. 30 October Federal Ministry of Environment. (2021). National climate change policy for Nigeria. Department of Climate Change. Shahid & Piracha, (2016). Awareness of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation at Local Level in Punjab, Pakistan. September. Guardian. (2021). FG says 2012 flood worst, affects 7m people. 31 May. Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN). (2021). Country index rankings. PwC Nigeria (PricewaterCoopers). (2022). Nigeria’s climate change act – things to know and prepare for. VoA. (2022). Climate change fueled rains behind deadly Nigeria floods, study finds. 16 November. World Bank. (2021). Climate risk profile: Nigeria.

Abuja, Nigeria. October 1st, 2023 – The annual Independence Day Poll result released by NOIPolls Limited has revealed that 31 percent of adult Nigerians opined that Nigeria as a nation has not achieved anything since it attained the status of Independence in 1960. Furthermore, 23 percent of Nigerians cited insecurity as one of the greatest challenges Nigeria as a nation has faced since independence. Other challenges mentioned are economy (20 percent), corruption (20 percent), bad leadership (17 percent), and ethnicity/tribalism (8 percent) amongst other challenges. Despite the challenges, Nigerians still pinpoint some achievements the country has made since her Independence. The top three achievements include democracy (14 percent), national unity (9 percent), and telecommunication (7 percent). Other mentions include large population (3 percent), electricity, (3 percent), education (3 percent), security (3 percent), and social cohesion (3 percent) amongst others. When asked about the single most important issue Nigeria as a nation should address in the next year, 28 percent of Nigerians mentioned the economy, which is closely followed by insecurity (21 percent). Other issues mentioned are poverty alleviation (13 percent), job creation (9 percent), corruption (8 percent), bad governance (3 percent), electricity (3 percent), and education (3 percent). Also, when respondents were asked which country has been positively impactful to Nigeria’s political and economic development since her Independence, interestingly, the United States of America (27 percent), China (24 percent) and the United Kingdom (17 percent) came top. Other countries mentioned are Israel, Ghana, France, Saudi Arabia, Niger, and Russia (2 percent each) amongst other countries mentioned. However, it is worth noting that 22 percent of Nigeria stated that no country has had any positive impact on the political and economic development of Nigeria since independence. Survey Background Independence Day is an official national holiday in Nigeria, celebrated on the 1st of October. It marks Nigeria's proclamation of her Independence from British rule on 1 October 1960. The holiday is commemorated annually by the government and the people of Nigeria with pomp and pageantry. However, in the last decade, activities to commemorate the anniversary have continued to decline. This is a clear reflection of the state of the nation. This year, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. George Akume stated in a Press Conference in Abuja, that Nigeria will mark its 63rd Independence Anniversary with a low-key celebration. The decision to scale back the festivities was taken considering the country’s economic challenges. He added that no world leaders have been invited, “The celebration is low-key as due to the realities on the ground.” But the anniversary will be celebrated under the theme “Nigeria @ 63, Renewed Hope for Unity and Prosperity”[1]. With unmet expectations for Nigerians, this year's Independence Day Anniversary is a time for Nigerians to reflect on their gains and challenges while mapping out feasible ways of improving on the gains. Against this backdrop of the occasion of Nigeria’s Independence, NOIPolls conducted a survey to gauge the pulse of Nigerians regarding our progress post-Independence. Survey Findings The first survey question sought to know the opinion of adult Nigerians on what they consider to be the country's greatest achievement in the past 63 years. Thus, it poses the question ‘’ In 63 years, what do you consider to be the greatest achievement of Nigeria?’. Findings revealed that a larger proportion of respondents (31 percent) revealed that Nigeria has not achieved anything. Conversely, some respondents believe the country has recorded some great achievements around democracy (14 percent), national unity (9), and telecommunication (7 percent). Other achievements mentioned include large population (3 percent), electricity (3 percent), education (3 percent), security (3 percent), and social cohesion (3 percent). More findings show that 8 percent of respondents interviewed adduced independence, fuel subsidy, the entertainment industry, hunger and poverty, and no unity as some achievements. Survey findings also revealed that 16 percent of Nigerians interviewed do not know/refused to disclose their stance. Furthermore, the survey sought to gauge the opinion of Nigerians on the single most important issue the country needs to address in the next one (1) year. Analysis shows that a larger proportion of Nigerians (28 percent) mentioned the economy. This is followed by insecurity (21 percent), poverty alleviation (13 percent), job creation (9 percent), and corruption (8 percent). Other issues mentioned include; bad governance (3 percent), electricity (3 percent), education (3 percent), dollar exchange rate, inflation, fuel issue/refinery, and infrastructure (2 percent each). However, few Nigerians mentioned attitudinal change, electoral reforms, healthcare, and the constitution (4 percent) as the greatest issues that should be addressed in the next one year. When asked what has been our greatest challenge as a nation since Independence, analysis shows that the majority of respondents (23 percent) cited insecurity. More analysis reveals economy (20 percent), corruption (20 percent), bad leadership ( 17 percent), and ethnicity/tribalism (8 percent) as the greatest challenges specified. Other challenges named are; over-dependence on fuel/crude oil,(3 percent), high poverty level (3 percent), electricity(3 percent ), education(1 percent), border security (1 percent), and agitations (1 percent) Additionally, the survey sought to measure the opinion of Nigerians on their level of trust in key institutions of the country such as INEC, the Judiciary, the President and his cabinet, and the law enforcement agencies using a scale of 1-5. Thus, it poses the question “On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is no trust at all, and 5 is complete trust, how much do you trust the following institutions? Findings reveal that most Nigerians do not trust INEC (57 percent), the judiciary (56 percent), the President and his cabinet members (50 percent), and law enforcement agencies (47 percent). Similarly, analysis shows that 25 percent of Nigerians who answered in the affirmative, when asked if they trust INEC, and 24 percent affirmed for the Judiciary. Nigerians who have confidence in the president and his cabinet are 26 percent while law enforcement agencies are 32 percent. However, more analysis shows that just a handful of respondents (21 percent) either do not know or refuse to answer the survey question. The survey also measures the opinion of Nigerians on the country(s) they think have been impactful to Nigeria’s political and economic development in the past 63 years. Findings show a larger proportion of Nigerians (27 Percent) interviewed mentioned the U.S. (27 percent), followed by China (24 percent), and the U.K. (18). Other countries mentioned are Israel (2 percent), Ghana (2 percent), France (2 percent), Saudi- Arabia (2 percent), Niger (2 percent) and Russia (2 percent). Similarly, India, Canada, and Germany have 3 percent. Respondents who don’t know are 7 percent. However, 22 percent stated that no country in the world has impacted Nigeria in this regard. Conclusion In conclusion, findings have shown that majority of Nigerians 28 percent) reveal that the single most important issue that the country needs to address in the next one (1) year is economy, followed by insecurity (21 percent). Survey findings also revealed that more Nigerians (31 percent) disclosed that the country has not achieved anything in the past 63 years since we got independence. However, the findings reveal that Nigerians indicated that some countries have impacted our economic and political development since independence, among the top mentions are the U.S. (27 percent), China (24 percent), and the U.K. (18 percent). Others include Israel (2 percent), Ghana (2 percent), France (2 percent), Saudi- Arabia (2 percent), Niger (2 percent), and Russia (2 percent) respectively. Similarly, India, Canada, and Germany have 3 percent. Respondents who do not know are 7 percent. Interestingly,22 percent stated that no country in the world has impacted Nigeria politically and economically. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing 25th of September 2023. It involved telephone interviews of a proportionate nationwide sample of 1,000 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geo-political regions 36 states, and the FCT of the country. Interviews were conducted in 5 languages – Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Pidgin English, and English. Although we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained were statistically precise – within a margin of error of plus or minus 4.65%; we recognize that the exclusive use of telephone polling has its limitation of excluding non-phone-owning Nigerians. Nonetheless, with the country’s tele density put over 100 percent by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), we consider our telephone. polling approach appropriate. Also, given the rigorous scientific process of randomization and stratification applied, we can confidently stand by the validity of our methodology and approach. NOIPolls Limited, No. 1 for country-specific polling services in West Africa. We conduct periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria. More information is available at www.noi-polls.com. Disclaimer This press release has been produced by NOIPolls Limited to provide information on all issues that form the subject matter of the document. Kindly note that while we are willing to share results from our polls with the public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as authors whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited, or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect the views of respondents surveyed for the poll, and background information is based on information from various sources that it believes are reliable; however, no representation is made that it is accurate or complete. Whilst reasonable care has been taken in preparing this document, no responsibility or liability is accepted for errors or facts, or any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken because of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions, or views herein constitute a judgment as of the date of this document. If the date of this document is not current, the views and content may not reflect NOIPolls' current findings and/or thinking. Press Contact Email: editor@noi-polls.com cakubue@noi-polls.com nohuche@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 - 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877