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International Condom Day 2020; Almost 3 in 10 Nigerians Use Condom Regularly Abuja, Nigeria. February 13th, 2020 – In commemoration of the International Condom Day (ICD), NOIPolls in partnership with Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) conducted a nationwide public opinion poll regarding condom accessibility and use in Nigeria. The survey revealed that an overwhelming majority of adult Nigerians (92 percent) are aware of what a condom is and what it is used for. This is heartwarming considering the pivotal role condom plays in family planning and in safe-guarding people against STDs and other infections. However, with regards to perception and attitude on condom, 63 percent of Nigerians stated that the first thing that comes to their mind when they hear the word condom is sexual pleasure, while 45 percent disclosed that they instantly think of promiscuity when they see someone with a condom. Further findings revealed that accessibility of condom is high, for instance, the survey showed that 82 percent of Nigerians mentioned that it is very easy to purchase condom in their locality. Analysis by geographical location showed that the South-East region (94 percent) had more respondents who stated that it is very easy to purchase condom in their locality while the North-Central and North-West accounted for the lowest with 77 percent each. When asked if condom should be free, 61 percent said yes, while 39 percent answered negatively. Of the proportion who think it should not be free, 36 percent specifically mentioned that it should be sold ₦50.00. With regards to the preferred outlet to purchase a condom, a larger number of the respondents (69 percent) preferred to access condoms from either a chemist or pharmacy. Opinion on general consumption pattern revealed that 83 percent of adult Nigerians believe that people should use condom. Of this proportion, 58 percent mentioned that people should use condom mainly to avoid contracting STDs. However, opinion on personal consumption pattern showed that only 34 percent of Nigerians acknowledged that they use condom. It is important to note that this is 34 percent of the general population as the survey did not screen for condom use among high risk individuals. Of the 34 percent of the general population that use condoms, 64 percent stated that they use it mainly for family planning and to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Interestingly, analysis by geopolitical zones showed majority of resident in the North-East (98 percent) use condoms mainly for family planning and for preventing unwanted pregnancy while 47 percent and 38 percent of respondents from the South-South and South-East respectively use condoms mainly for protection against STDs. By age, respondents aged 61 years and above use condoms for protection against STDs while understandably, respondents aged 18 – 35 (66 percent) and 36 – 60 (63 percent) use condoms for family planning and prevention of unwanted pregnancy. Of the 34 percent of the general population that use condoms, only 28 percent of them use condoms consistently. Of the 66 percent of the general population that stated that they do not use condom, the main reason cited by 34 percent was that it is against their religious belief. Analysis by geographical location showed that the North-West region (78 percent) and the North-East region (74 percent) had more respondents who said that they do not use condom. It is important to note that 17 percent of those who do not use condoms say they do so because they either do not like it or that it is not pleasurable and the South-West (25 percent) and the North-West (24 percent) had the most respondents who stated these reasons. Lastly, to foster publicity of condom in the society, 52 percent of the respondents believe that it is appropriate to promote the use of condom to Nigerians form the age of 18, while most of the respondents (78 percent) disclosed that they are likely to recommend the use of condom to someone. Therefore, it is important that advocacy groups and other concerned stakeholders create awareness on the negative effects of not using condom as emphasized by 58 percent of the respondents. This awareness should be centered more on Nigerians who believe it is against their religious belief and those who believe it promotes promiscuity. Interventions such as providing free condoms could also help increase the level of consistent condom use in the country for effective prevention of HIV and STDs, especially for individuals who find condoms to be inappropriate. These are some of the key findings from the condom poll conducted in the week commencing February 3rd, 2020. Brief Background Condom is a barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the chances of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. For instance, the usage of condom has been proven to effectively decrease the rate of transmitting diseases like gonorrhoea, chlamydia, trichomonas, hepatitis B and HIV.[1] The International Condom Day (ICD) is observed annually on the 13th of February and promotes safer sex awareness in a fun and creative way while encouraging people to use condoms. According to data report, Nigeria needs about 600 million condoms annually. Closing this gap requires leveraging the relative strengths of all sectors – public, media, social marketing and commercial partners to enhance the sustainability of condom promotion, especially for key population groups in high burden areas of Nigeria. Against this background, NOIPolls in partnership with AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) conducted a nationwide public opinion poll regarding condom accessibility and use in Nigeria. Survey Findings The first question sought to gauge awareness of Nigerians regarding condom and the result revealed that an over whelming majority of Nigerians (92 percent) are conscious of what a condom is, while 8 percent claimed that they are not aware of what it is. The importance of condom in preventing HIV/AIDS and STDs cannot be over-emphasized hence the need to continue efforts at the awareness of condom particularly for the benefit of those who claimed not to be aware of what it is. Furthermore, respondents were asked of their first impression when they hear the word condom and the findings showed that most of the respondents (63 percent) think of sexual pleasure whenever they hear the word condom. Others things mentioned include ‘protection against unwanted pregnancy’ (11 percent), ‘promiscuity’ (10 percent), protection against sexually transmitted disease (9 percent) and those who said they get irritated (4 percent) as well as respondents who claimed that nothing comes to their mind (3 percent) when they hear the word condom. Similarly, respondents were asked what they think when they see someone with condom and the survey result revealed that 48 percent of respondents specified promiscuity while 45 percent stated they think of being protective when they see someone with a condom amongst other responses. With regards to preference in where to get condoms, most Nigerians (69 percent) mentioned that they would prefer to get their condoms from a chemist/pharmacy. Respondents from the South-West zone had more people who prefer to get a condom from a chemist/pharmacy. Others outlets mentioned include ‘Health facility’ (20 percent), Supermarket (6 percent), Hotel (3 percent) and kiosk (2 percent). Perception on general consumption pattern revealed that majority of adult Nigerians acknowledged that people should use condom however, 17 percent responded negatively when asked the same question. Out of the 83 percent who agreed people use condoms, 58 percent were of the opinion that people should use condoms mainly to prevent STDs. This is followed by 19 percent who said it is to prevent contracting HIV/AIDS while 16 percent stated that the use of condom prevents early pregnancy. Also, 7 percent think people should use condom solely for family planning. On the other hand, of the 17 percent who disapproved the use of condom, 24 percent gave reason stating that condoms are not reliable while another 24 percent mentioned that it is because condoms promote immorality. Other reasons mentioned include ‘it is a tool for sin’ (18 percent), ‘it doesn’t protect totally’ (14 percent), ‘it is not satisfactory’ (11 percent) and those that said it is a personal decision (9 percent). Although 83 percent of adult Nigerians previously stated that they think people should use condom, when respondents were asked if they use condom, the result revealed that only 34 percent of the respondents admitted that they use condom. Analysis by gender indicated expectedly that there are more male (39 percent) than female (28 percent) who stated that they use a condom. Also, evaluation by age-group showed that Nigerians aged 18 – 35 years had more respondents who acknowledged that they use of condom. On the other hand, 66 percent of the general population claimed that they do not use a condom and respondents from the North-West had more people who said that they do not use a condom (78 percent). Respondents who admitted that they use condom were further probed to give reasons why they use condom. Family planning and to protect against unwanted pregnancy (32 percent each) topped the lists of reasons given for the use of condom. An evaluation by gender indicated that there are more male (35 percent) than female (28 percent) respondents who disclosed that they use condom mainly for family planning. Further analysis by geographical location showed that while the North-West zone had more respondents who mentioned that they use it primarily for family planning, the South-East zone had more people saying that they use condom to protect against unwanted pregnancy. Correspondingly, of the 66 percent of respondents who said they do not use condom, 33 percent said that is majorly because it is against their religion, while 19 percent it is because their spouse does not like it amongst other reasons. It is important to note that 17 percent of those who do not use condoms say they do so because they either do not like it or that it is not pleasurable and the South-West (25 percent) and the North-West (24 percent) had the most respondents who stated these reasons. To foster greater awareness of condom, most Nigerians (52 percent) believe that it is appropriate to promote the use of condom to Nigerians from the age of 18. Analysis by age-group showed that respondents aged between 18 – 35 years had more respondents who said that it is appropriate to promote the use of condom to Nigerians who are aged 18 years. Lastly, 58 percent of Nigerians stated that creating awareness on the effects of not using a condom would go a long way in encouraging people to use condom. The South-South zone had the highest number of respondents (72 percent) who supported this statement. Also, 31 percent laid emphasis on ensuring the awareness is carried out in rural areas, which could be attributed to lack of adequate health information among people living in rural areas. In conclusion, the survey has shown that more than 9 in 10 adult Nigerians (92 percent) are aware of what a condom is and what it is used for. This is encouraging given the essential role condom plays in preventing HIV/AIDS and other STDs. With respect to perception and attitude on condom, 63 percent of Nigerians admitted that the first thing that comes to their mind when they hear the word condom is sexual pleasure, while 45 percent disclosed that they instantly think of promiscuity when they see someone with a condom. Opinion on general consumption pattern revealed that 83 percent of adult Nigerians believe that people should use condom. However, opinion on personal consumption showed that only 34 percent of Nigerians admitted that they use condom. Of this number, only 28 percent of them stated that they use condoms consistently. It is important to note that this is 34 percent of the general population as the survey did not screen for condom use among high risk individuals. The major reason cited among those that do not use condoms is that it is against their religion (34 percent). Furthermore, to create better awareness of condom, 52 percent of respondents believe that it is appropriate to promote the use of condom to Nigerians from the age of 18and it is reassuring to know that 78 percent of Nigerians disclosed that they are likely to recommend the use of condom to someone. Finally, 58 percent requested that advocacy groups and other concerned stakeholders should create awareness on the negative effects of not using condom. Provisions of free condoms by these agencies could also help increase consistent condom use in the country. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing February 3rd, 2020. 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, No1 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 general public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as author whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect its 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 fact or for any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken as a result of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions or views herein constitute a judgment as at 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 badedoyin@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 – 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 [1] https://www.who.int/hiv/mediacentre/news/condoms-joint-positionpaper/en/

In Commemoration Of International Day Of Zero Tolerance For Female Genital Mutilation; Nigerians Supports Legislation To End The Practice Abuja, Nigeria. February 4th, 2020 – NOIPolls joins the world in commemorating the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation which is observed on 6th February every year. Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights, the health and the integrity of girls and women. According to report, about 200 million women and girls have been mutilated globally.[1] In Nigeria, about 20 million women and girls have been mutilated implying that 1 out of every 10 mutilated women in the world is Nigerian.[2] Given the above background, NOIPolls conducted a poll to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of Nigerians towards the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the country. The poll revealed that that majority of adult Nigerians (88 percent) are willing to support a legislation to end female genital mutilation mainly due to the health complications associated with the practice. This is in line with the effort of the United Nations Population Fund which strives to fully eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation by 2030 as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) which prohibit any form of harmful practices against people generally especially children and women. Although the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) was passed into law in Nigeria in 2015 to criminalise FGM practice, lack of enforcement of the VAPP Act is an issue given that it has not been domesticated in states. Currently, 13 out of 36 states in Nigeria have their own individual state laws expressly prohibiting FGM/C. These states are Lagos, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Bayelsa, Ogun, Delta, Ebonyi, Oyo, Imo, Edo, Cross-River and Rivers however, the VAPP Act is actively enforced in only 3 out of the 36 states in Nigeria and also in the FCT; these 3 states are Anambra, Oyo and Ebonyi.[3] Furthermore, perception on prevalence revealed that 19 percent of Nigerians disclosed that this practice is still prevalent in the country. At the zonal level, 33 percent of respondents in the South-East, 27 percent in the South-South and 25 percent in the North West reported the practice as prevalent in their locality. Significantly, during the course of the survey, our analysts interviewed a couple of respondents from the South-South zone who were planning imminent circumcision of their daughters but were dissuaded due to the survey enlightenment. Some respondents (mainly mothers) in the South East region personally revealed that they are continuing with the practice because they had no complications whatsoever when it was done to them while some respondents particularly from the South West divulged that tradition demands that they carry out the practice else they may be excommunicated in their community. When asked of the health risks associated with FGM, most of the respondents cited infections (48 percent) and complications during childbirth (35 percent). This corroborates reports which has shown that girls who undergo female genital mutilation face short-term complications such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, infections, and difficulty in passing urine, as well as long-term consequences for their sexual and reproductive health and mental health. Therefore, there is urgent need to carry out public enlightenment campaign on the dangers linked with FGM as recommended by 62 percent of Nigerians. This can be achieved by a coordinated and systematic effort in engaging grassroot communities and focusing on human rights, gender equality, sexual education and attention to the needs of women and girls who suffer from its consequences. It is also important that more states domesticate the VAPP act. These are some of the key findings from the Female Genital Mutilation poll conducted in the week commencing 27th January, 2020. Brief Background The United Nations (UN) General Assembly designated this day as the international day of zero tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation with the aim to amplify and direct the efforts on the elimination of the practice. The UN has realized that ending female genital mutilation in one decade will require support from all and sundry. Hence, it has decided to invest in young people who are indispensable and valuable in this all-important task of eradicating Female Genital Mutilation. This is the main reason why the day focuses on mobilizing youths around the world to join in the campaign of ending the practice. However, Female genital mutilation also known as female circumcision, a procedure done whereby parts of the female genitalia is being removed especially the external parts is still prevalent. This act is usually practiced in some parts of Africa, Middle East and Asia. There are many reasons why FGM is practiced in Nigeria, ranging from cultural reasons to its belief in curbing illicit sexual appetites of women and girls. However, FGM has a lot of negative effects such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, infections, and difficulty in passing urine, as well as long-term consequences for their sexual and reproductive health and mental health[4]. A lot of campaign has been done both locally and internationally to eradicate this practice by protecting the interest of the girl child, sensitizing parents and guardians on the dangers associated with Female genital mutilation. Against this backdrop, NOIPolls conducted its latest poll to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of Nigerians towards the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Survey Findings The first question gauged awareness and the poll result revealed that an overwhelming majority of Nigerians (93 percent) are aware of what Female Genital Mutilation is. This depicts the fact that there is adequate awareness of what Female genital mutilation is among Nigerians and this cuts across gender, geographical location and age-group with a minimum representation of 87 percent. Trend analysis shows a 6 percent increase in the proportion of respondents who are aware of the Female Genital Mutilation as the level of awareness increased from 87 percent in 2017 to 93 percent in 2020. With regards to prevalence, the findings revealed that majority of adult Nigerians (81 percent) stated that Female Genital Mutilation is not prevalent in Nigeria. On the other hand, 19 percent of the respondent disclosed that FGM is prevalent in the country. Interestingly, analysis by gender showed that there are more male (22 percent) than female (17 percent) respondents who stated that FGM is prevalent while analysis by geographical location revealed that Nigerians residing in the South East region had more respondents (33 percent) in this category. Subsequently, the poll gauged support of Nigerians for FGM and the findings showed that most Nigerians (86 percent) are not in support of the practice and this also cuts across gender, geographical locations and age-groups with a minimum representation of 80 percent. It is encouraging to note that a large proportion of Nigerians are not in support of FGM practice considering the danger it poses for people who indulge in the practice. However, 14 percent expressed their support for the practice of FGM, particularly amongst respondents in some South East (16 percent) and South West (15 percent) region as well as older respondents aged 60 and above (20 percent). Trend analysis show that there is a 4 percent increase in the proportion of male respondents who stated that they support of Female Genital Mutilation as it increased from 12 percent in 2017 to 16 percent in 2020. Furthermore, 14 percent of Nigerians who disclosed their support for FGM were further probed to state their reasons and the larger fraction (27 percent) mentioned that ‘it prevents women from being promiscuous’. This was followed by 24 percent who mentioned that ‘it is our tradition’ and 18 percent stated that ‘it has no health complications’ amongst other reasons. However, the United Nation Population Fund reports that practice of FGM have been medically proven to have serious implications for the sexual and reproductive health of girls and women, with attendant issues such as infibulation, severe pain, shock, haemorrhage, tetanus or other infections, urine retention, ulceration of the genital region and injury to adjacent tissue and septicaemia among other complications during childbirth.[5] Also, respondents who do not support the practice justified their position with the following reasons: ‘It creates health complications’ (23 percent), ‘it violates human rights’ (20 percent) and ‘it is unethical’ (20 percent) amongst other mentions. Perception on health risks associated with FGM practice revealed that most respondents are of the view that it causes infection (48 percent) and they are more respondents from the North West who mentioned this. This is followed by 35 percent of the respondents who stated that it could cause childbirth complications and Nigerians from the South East region had more people saying this. With regards to legislation, majority of Nigerians (88 percent) indicated their support for a legislation to end the practice in the country. On the contrary, 12 percent of the respondents confirmed that they would not support any legislation to eliminate the practice of FGM. Lastly, 62 percent of Nigerians recommended that they should be constant public enlightenment campaign on the effects of FGM. Also, 23 percent suggested that government should ensure that legislation against FGM is enacted in all states while 10 percent advocated for strict enforcement of the law against FGM in the country. In conclusion, the poll has shown that majority of Nigerians (88 percent) are in support of a legislation to end Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria considering the health risks cited by Nigerians. Although the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) was passed into law in 2015 to criminalise FGM practice, difficulty in the enforcement of the VAPP Act is an issue given that it has not been domesticated in the states. Currently, 13 out of 36 states in Nigeria have their own individual state laws expressly prohibiting FGM/C. These states are Lagos, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Bayelsa, Ogun, Delta, Ebonyi, Oyo, Imo, Edo, Cross-River and Rivers however, the VAPP Act is actively enforced in only 3 out of the 36 states in Nigeria and the FCT and the states are Abuja, Anambra, Oyo and Ebonyi. Finally, there is urgent need to carry out aggressive public enlightenment campaign on the negative effects of FGM as recommended by 62 percent of Nigerians. Therefore, to promote the elimination of female genital mutilation, coordinated and systematic efforts are needed, and they must engage whole communities and focus on human rights, gender equality, sexual education and attention to the needs of women and girls who suffer from its consequences. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing January 27th, 2020. 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, No1 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 general public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as author whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect its 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 fact or for any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken as a result of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions or views herein constitute a judgment as at 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 badedoyin@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 – 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 [1] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/oct/11/fgm-nigeria-20-million-women-and-girls-undergone-female-genital-mutilation [2] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/oct/11/fgm-nigeria-20-million-women-and-girls-undergone-female-genital-mutilation [3] https://impakter.com/female-genital-mutilation-in-nigeria-combative-legislation-and-the-issues-impact-on-the-economic-growth-of-women/ [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3507121/ [5] https://www.unfpa.org/resources/female-genital-mutilation-fgm-frequently-asked-questions

In Commemoration Of International Day Of Education, Lack Of Funds And Personal Motivation Blamed For Children Dropping Out Of School In Nigerians Abuja, Nigeria. January 28th, 2020 – The International Day of Education was observed on 24th January 2020, a day announced by the United Nations General Assembly to honour education and its centrality to human well-being and sustainable development. Education offers children a ladder out of poverty and a path to a promising future. According to report from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), about 258 million children and youth still do not attend school; 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40 percent of girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school and some four million children and youth refugees are out of school.[1] Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind. In commemoration of the 2020 International Day of Education, NOIPolls reflects on findings from its past survey on Education in Nigeria conducted in 2017. The survey, which highlighted perception of Nigerians regarding children out of school, revealed that the rate of children dropping out of basic education is high – 15 percent of poll respondents had children in their households drop out of school during the preceding 12 months. Furthermore, the drop-out rates are higher in rural (17 percent) than urban areas (14 percent) and in the North-Central (23 percent) and North-East (24 percent) zones than elsewhere in the country. The reason for school dropout is dominantly financial (73 percent), followed by other factors including Motivation (7 percent), Occupation (7 percent), Early Marriage (5 percent), Lack of Schools in Community (4 percent) and Insecurity (1 percent). With regard to girl-child education, the most important factors militating against girl child education which include; poverty (35 percent), culture and tradition (18 percent), parental literacy (17percent), child marriage (11percent), gender discrimination (10 percent) and religion (7 percent). Also, the poll indicated that lack of schools, insecurity and to a more limited extent early marriage inhibit continuation in school and completion of basic education in the North than in the South. Lack of personal motivation is more important in the South, particularly in the South-East zone. The chart below shows the rate of children dropping out of basic education is still high as 15 percent of poll respondents had children in their households drop out of school during the preceding 12 months, and these increase by age of respondents (18 – 35 years (14 percent); 36 – 60 years (17 percent); above 60 years of (25 percent)). The drop-out rates are higher in rural (17 percent) than urban areas (14 percent) and in the North-Central (23 percent) and North-East (24 percent) zones than any other region in the country. The reasons for dropping out of school are dominantly financial (73 percent) than other factors including motivation (7 percent), occupation (7 percent), early marriage (5 percent), lack of schools in community (4 percent) and insecurity (1 percent). Lack of schools, insecurity and to a more limited extent early marriage inhibit continuation in school and completion of basic education in the North than in the South. Lack of personal motivation is more important in the South but most importantly in the South-East zone. The poll also revealed that there is a high level of support for girl child education as 88 percent of sampled respondents agree that girl child education is important in their communities and the support is not substantially different for men and women. Along age distribution, the support only drops among the older respondents above 60 years of age to 85 percent compared to 88 percent for the rest of the sample. While there is no difference between the North and South in terms of agreement with the benefits of girl child education (although differences exist across geo-political zones), there appears to exist more disagreement with the benefits of the girl child education idea and thus lower support for girl child education in the North (North – 10 percent; South – 7 percent) compared with the South. In conclusion, the survey has revealed that the rate of children dropping out of basic education in Nigeria is high and this is mainly due to financial reasons. The provision of Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act 2004 mandating parents/guardians to enrol their children within the ages of basic education age in school or face penalties is not enforced. As a result, the demand-side factors that the Act is intended to suppress (broadly socio-economic and cultural factors) continue to undermine basic education, especially girl education. However, the poll highlights some encouragement like the nationwide support for girl child education which raises the possibility that the challenges of out-of-school children are surmountable in Nigeria. Finally, it is pertinent for full implementation and enforcement of the demand-side provisions of the UBE Act 2004. Also, it is important to intensify advocacy for basic education, especially for girls, among traditional and modern government institutions as well as encouraging private sector and philanthropy to get involved and do more on basic education funding on both demand and supply sides. 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 general public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as author whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect its 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 fact or for any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken as a result of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions or views herein constitute a judgment as at 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 badedoyin@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 – 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 [1] https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/educationday

Q4, 2019; Power Supply To Nigerian Households Still Inadequate – New Poll Reveals Abuja, Nigeria. January, 14th 2020 – The newpower poll released by NOIPolls for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2019 has revealed that power supply to Nigerian households experienced a marginal increase to stand at 37 percent in Q4 from 36 percent obtained in Q3, 2019. A quarterly trend analysis of power supply in 2019 shows that the highest improvement in power supply was in Q1 and Q4, 2019 while the lowest supply occurred in Q2, 2019 as expressed by Nigerians interviewed. Also, a monthly trend analysis of power supply in 2019 revealed that the month of January 2019 had the highest power supply while the lowest power supply was experienced in April 2019 as indicated by 46 percent and 28 percent of Nigerians respectively. It is also worthy to note that the current transmission capacity and network operational capacity are 7,000 Mega Watts (MW) and 5,500 MW respectively however, the peak generation ever attained in Nigeria in 2019 is 5,222.3 MW. [1] Further findings revealed that the highest average cumulative hours of power supply were recorded in the month of January 2019 which stood at 10.2 hours per day whereas, the month of April experienced the lowest in terms of average cumulative hours of power supply (9.0 hours per day) in 2019. This cumulative hourly average recorded in January 2019 is inadequate when compared to an ideal 24 hours of power supply which is required for the overall progress and development of the country and its citizenry. Therefore, to drastically improve on the status quo on the electricity sector, experts in this sector needs to identify more efficient means of electricity generation. For instance, the use of embedded generation will help eliminate the long distance the power travel to get to the end user and will ultimately improve supply of electricity[2]. It is therefore advised that Government and stakeholders in the power sector synergize to provide adequate power supply. This is important because the decline in power supply will continue to hampered economic activities, especially of businesses whose operation depends majorly on power supply. These are some of the key findings from the power poll conducted by NOIPolls in Q4, 2019. Survey Findings Quarterly Trend on Power Supply Quarterly analysis indicated that a larger proportion of Nigerians in Q1 and Q4, 2019 (37 percent each) reported that they experienced better power supply to their respective households than in Q2, 2019 (31 percent). Quarterly Average Daily Cumulative Power Supply to Nigerian Households Furthermore, on a quarter-on-quarter basis, the average hours of cumulative power supply to Nigerian households in Q1 and Q3, 2019 were 9.6 hours each respectively, this was the highest recorded hours when compared to the 9.2 hours obtained in Q2, 2019. Monthly Trend on Power Supply Monthly analysis of power supply to Nigerian households from September to December 2019 revealed a steady increase as depicted in the chart below. The poll findings also showed that Nigerians experienced more power supply to their households in January (46 percent) and December (40 percent) 2019 than any other month in review. Monthly Daily Cumulative Hours of Power Supply to Nigerian Households Subsequently, analysis of the poll result revealed that the month of January 2019 recorded the highest(10.2) daily cumulative hours of power supply to Nigerian households while the lowest (9 hours) was the month of April, 2019. Yearly Trend on Power Supply A four years trend analysis revealed that Nigerians experienced worse power supply in 2019 (35 percent) when compared 20018, 2017 and 2016 respectively. Yearly Cumulative Hours of Power Supply Daily Yearly cumulative power supply revealed that 2017 (9.7 hours) has the highest average cumulative hourly power supply in the last four years when compared to 2019 and 2018. However, the lowest in the last four years was recorded in 2016 with an average of 8.6 hours per day. In conclusion, the poll result revealed that Nigerians experienced better power supply in Q1 and Q4 in 2019 with an average cumulative hours of power supply per day of 9.6 and 9.5 hours respectively. This average cumulative hour of power supply to Nigerians households is grossly inadequate for the country therefore requires urgent attention for improvement. Although, there are challenges experienced in the sector which include vandalism, theft of equipment, pipe breakage in the case of gas supply, general infrastructure deficit and many others, however it is expected that the stakeholders will surmount these challenges and put the country on track of uninterrupted power supply in order to foster greater economic development in Nigeria. The government and stakeholders can leverage on other forms of power generation like solar, wind and geo-thermal etc. which is the most viable option to ameliorate the power problem in the country. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted over a period of three months (October to December 2019). It involved telephone interviews of a proportionate nationwide sample of 3,000 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 general public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as author whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect its 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 fact or for any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken as a result of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions or views herein constitute a judgment as at 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 badedoyin@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 – 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 [1] https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/309349-nigerias-power-generation-increases-in-january-tcn.html [2] https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-899X/413/1/012037

In 2020, Nigerians Expect Improvements in Economy, Job Creation and Electricity Supply – New Poll Reveals Abuja, Nigeria. January 7th, 2020 – The New Year celebration is one of the most celebrated events in Nigeria and often characterized by various activities to usher in the New Year. While Nigerians ushered in a new decade with great excitement and optimism as well as resolutions to be better individuals, great expectations also lie in the government to focus on key areas to create desired socio-economic changes that would stimulate development of the nation as well as affect the lives of the citizens positively. Against this background, NOIPolls conducted its Annual New Year Poll to gauge the expectations of Nigerians for 2020. The poll result revealed that the top three areas most Nigerians want the government to focus its attention on in 2020 are the Economy (70 percent), Job creation (69 percent) and Electricity supply (62 percent). Other areas mentioned include Education (55 percent), Infrastructural development (38 percent), Healthcare (29 percent), Agriculture (23 percent) and Security (7 percent). On the economy, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew from 2.12 percent in the second quarter of 2019 to 2.29 percent in the third quarter of 2019 indicating an increase of 0.17 percent.[1] However, during the course of the survey, most of the respondent lamented the increasing cost of goods and services in the country especially food items. Given that average Nigerians are yet to feel the impact of the increase in the nation’s GDP, the call for government to focus its attention on the economy this year is understandable. With regards to Job creation, 69 percent of Nigerians want the government to channel its resources to ensuring that they create more jobs for its citizens in 2020. This will go a long way in reducing the level of poverty and number of dependent people as well as in reducing crime rate in the country. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report, unemployment rate in Nigeria increased to 23.10 percent in the third quarter of 2018 from 22.70 percent in the second quarter of 2018.[2] Opinion on power revealed that 62 percent of the respondents expect the government to significantly focus its attention on the sector, considering that this sector has faced huge challenges over the years. The status quo in terms of electricity generation and distributions is still inadequate considering the country’s population. Adequate electricity means that Nigerians will be empowered to work from the domestic level and the cottage industries, through the small-scale and medium industries to employment in the large-scale manufacturing complexes. Therefore, the federal government and concerned stakeholders need to place high priority on ensuring that challenges surrounding these sectors that Nigerians have singled out are drastically improved to improve the economy and foster national development in the country. These are the key highlights from the New Year poll conducted in the week commencing December 16th 2019. In conclusion, the poll has revealed that the status quo on the economy, job creation and electricity supply as well as in other sectors mentioned are no longer acceptable as most Nigerians task the government to improve these sectors in 2020. Thus, the onus lies on the government to listen to the demands of its citizens and work to improve these areas that Nigerians have pointed out to ensure a better quality of life for all its citizens. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing December 16th, 2019. 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 general public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as author whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect its 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 fact or for any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken as a result of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions or views herein constitute a judgment as at 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 badedoyin@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 – 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 [1] https://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/business-news/364621-nigerias-gdp-grew-in-third-quarter-2019-nbs.html [2] https://tradingeconomics.com/nigeria/unemployment-rate

From the CEO Greetings from the NOIPolls team! We hope your year has been great. The year 2019 has been a great year for the organization. We have continued to provide the much-needed data and timely information on Nigeria to users in Africa and across the globe. We have also made great strides in achieving the goals we set for ourselves for the year. 2020 promises to be a landmark year for us as we set to continue to produce current and actionable opinion polls. For our first release of the year 2020, I have selected five key polls obtained from the nationwide polling exercises we did in 2019. These I believe require intensified level of attention across the Nation as we head towards interesting times in our country. I hope you find them interesting and as usual will deeply appreciate any feedback from you. We are most grateful to our partners who have supported this activity throughout 2019 giving voice to the many Nigerians. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for daily news updates. Also visit our website at noi-polls.com to see all other polls Best regards, Dr. Chike Nwangwu CEO, NOIPolls Highlights of some polls conducted in 2019 1 Rape in Nigeria ( https://noi-polls.com/noipolls-rape-poll-report/ ) Rape occurs in Nigeria and throughout the world. While not gender specific, the victims of this sexual menace are mostly women and adolescent girls. Rape is dangerous and has profound impact on physical and mental health of victims. It is a gross violation of one’s human right. Sadly, our poll in July 2019, showed that Nigeria has long way to go to curb this crime. Highlights of the poll revealed that most Nigerians (85 percent) believe that the issue of rape is prevalent in the country. A larger proportion (62 percent) of the respondents stated that rape is coercing someone to have sex or perform a sexual act only by means of physical force or a deadly weapon. On the definition of consent, a majority (92 percent) of the respondents identified that consent as it relates to rape is one which is given verbally by an individual who is of age and not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. However, it is worrisome to note that 52 percent of Nigerians also believe that consent can be given by an individual who while underage (below 18 years) still says yes. About 3 in 10 Nigerians (26 percent) disclosed that they know someone who has been raped in the past and the rape victims were particularly minors and young adults aged between 1 – 15 years (72 percent) and 16 – 25 years (24 percent) respectively. This statistic implies that one in every three girls would have experienced at least one form of sexual assault by the time they reach 25 years. There are perceptions that rape cases have been under-reported especially to the Police, findings showed that slightly more than half (53 percent) of the respondents mentioned that rape incidence were reported to the Police. Out of this proportion, 67 percent acknowledged that the offenders were arrested, while 33 percent claimed that the offender was not arrested. This implies that about 3 in 10 perpetrators of this atrocious crime often don’t face the dictates of the law against the crime even when reported to the police. Curiously, Nigerians blamed the incidence of rape mainly on indecent dressing (47 percent), excess intake of alcohol by the offenders (36 percent) and victims (34 percent) and promiscuity (34 percent). In terms of justice, Nigerians mostly advocated life imprisonment (37 percent), death penalty (22 percent) and prosecution (20 percent) for offenders of rape in the country. In addition, a larger proportion (41 percent) of Nigerians from the poll recommended that offenders of rape should be punished considering that some of the offenders elude the wrath of the law. Also, 19 percent suggests that there should be more awareness campaign on the dangers of rape to help reduce the increasing trend of rape in the society. We hoped the results and findings from the survey will: 1. Beam a light on the prevalence of rape in Nigeria 2. Provide data to stimulate discussions on rape across the Nigerian Landscape 3. Support the advocacy movement and CSOs working to mitigate the issue of rape in our society and 4. Encourage victims to report rape cases 2. National Identity Card Poll ( https://noi-polls.com/national-identity-card-poll-result-release/ ) The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) through its official twitter handle had on Monday 14th October 2019 announced that the renewal of the National Identity Card will cost ₦3,000 as well as charging the sum of N5,000 for card replacement. However, our poll in the week of October 31st revealed that 80 percent of Nigerians are of the view that the national identity card should not have an expiration date. 72 percent of Nigerians interviewed also disclosed that they are not willing to pay ₦3,000 for renewal of the card mainly because it is too expensive (40 percent) and they believe the card should be free of charge (35 percent). Nonetheless, 96 percent of Nigerians mentioned that they acknowledged the need and importance of having a national identity and this assertion cuts across gender, geo-political zones and age-group. Further findings showed that 78 percent of the respondents (18 years and above) said that they have applied to obtain the national identity card. Out of the 78 percent who have applied, 65 percent claimed to have a temporary card, while 26 percent specified that they have obtained the permanent card though most of the respondents in this category had to wait for a long period of time before getting the permanent version; sometimes above one year. More importantly during the course of the survey we found out that most Nigerians couldn’t differentiate the Nigerian National Identification Number (NIN) and the NIMC card. It is therefore imperative that NIMC double up on its effort to inform the general public about the differences between the two. The issues also identified around the registration and collection process also needs to be addressed by reducing the waiting time for the collection of permanent Identity cards to enable Nigerians see the value of the NIMC card before tackling the issue of renewal. This will help Nigerians get on board with the goals and mission of the Commission, as well issues bordering the new national identity card expiration policy. 3. Social Media Poll ( https://noi-polls.com/social-media-poll-result-release/ ) This poll was conducted the week commencing on October 14th. It revealed that 61 percent of adult Nigerians have access to the internet approximating to 120 million Nigerians given Nigeria’s population estimate. Interestingly, when looking at the demographics, 70 percent of young Nigerians aged between 18 – 35 years have access to the internet compared to the 56 percent for those aged between 36 and 60 years and 28 percent for those aged 61years and above. Most respondents (95 percent) who access the internet revealed that they use the internet to engage social networking sites and applications. Facebook (95 percent) and WhatsApp (94 percent) were reported as the most widely known social networking sites in the country; followed by Instagram (50 percent), and Twitter (42 percent), among others. Polls on the proportion of respondents using each social networking platform produced the following results – Facebook (86 percent), WhatsApp (84 percent), Instagram (19 percent), Twitter (11 percent), and Snapchat (2 percent). However, with regards to preference, WhatsApp (51 percent) is the most preferred social networking site/application, followed by Facebook (45 percent), Twitter (2 percent), and Instagram (2 percent). The poll also results showed that respondents considered Facebook (98 percent), Instagram (88 percent), WhatsApp (77 percent), and Snapchat (74 percent) most effective for advertising, while Twitter (98 percent) was considered most effective for gaining attention on topical issues and trending subjects. With regards to security, the poll results show that 12 percent of Nigerians reported that their social media accounts have been hacked previously; and of this proportion, 91 percent mentioned Facebook as the affected platform, while 7 percent confirmed that their WhatsApp account has been hacked. 4. Open Defecation ( https://noi-polls.com/open-defecation-poll-release/ ) NOIPolls conducted this poll on access to sanitation facilities in Nigeria to joins the world in commemorating the World Toilet Day (WTD) which is observed annually on the 19th of November given that Nigeria has been ranked second among countries practicing open defecation globally. The poll revealed that most Nigerians (76 percent) acknowledged that access to sanitation facility is a challenge. The poll also revealed that 80 percent of adult Nigerians believe that the issue of open defecation is prevalent across the country. With regards to practice, sadly, 63 percent of Nigerians disclosed that they have seen people practicing open defecation in their respective locality and of this proportion, 52 percent stated that they always see people practicing open defecation daily in their locality. More finding showed that Nigerians are aware of the dangers associated with open defecation as mentioned by 82 percent of the respondents and the top three dangers cited are diarrhea (40 percent), typhoid (22 percent) and cholera (13 percent). To effectively tackle this awful culture, there should be a concerted effort to provide toilets in public places as recommended by 40 percent of the Nigerians so that people would not have recourse to relieving themselves in the open. Government agencies, town planners and other stakeholders responsible for the environment should ensure that toilets are mandated for every household when putting up a structure as suggested by 28 percent of Nigerians. 5. Police Brutality and Misconduct Poll ( https://noi-polls.com/public-perception-on-police-brutality/ ) ( https://noi-polls.com/police-misconduct-poll-result/ ) Our poll in the week of May 6th showed that a large proportion of Nigerians nationwide disclosed that police brutality on Nigerians is prevalent. Sadly, 40 percent of those interviewed further reported that they have either been or know someone who has been recently brutalized by Nigeria police personnel. Further findings revealed that a larger proportion of Nigerians (34 percent) cited ‘poor police welfare’ as the major cause of police brutality on citizens. Other mentions include ‘inadequate training’ of the Nigeria police personnel (17 percent), ‘lack of contentment and greed’ (11 percent), ‘lack of experience’ and the issue of ‘corruption’ within the Nigeria Police Force amongst other mentions. Therefore, there is need for the deployment of a strict measure to curb this menace. The poll also revealed a high prevalence of illegal police activities as indicated by majority (78 percent) of Nigerians interviewed. 57 percent of the respondents disclosed that they are aware of some police illegal activities in their locality. This was most reported by residents from the South-South zone (68 percent). Interestingly, 83 percent of those who are aware of some police illegal activities mentioned that collection of bribes is one of the most common illegal activity of the Nigeria police personnel. Other police illegal activities cited in the poll include arresting innocent Nigerians (42 percent), intimidating innocent Nigerians (41 percent) and killing of unarmed Nigerians (12 percent) amongst other mentions. Opinions on how to curb some of these illegal activities by some Nigeria police personnel were suggested and 31 percent recommended that the government should improve police welfare while, 19 percent advocated for proper recruitment and training processes in the Nigeria Police Force. Also, 18 percent advised that the Nigeria Police Force should be reformed. 18 percent of respondents recommended prosecution or dismissal of any police personnel found guilty of any misconduct. Considering the daily interaction of the Nigeria police personnel with the general public, it is important that the Nigeria Police Force use the same opportunity of daily interactions in working towards changing these negative perceptions of the public.

2019 In Retrospect; Nigerians Decry Challenges in Health Sector, Electricity Supply, Job Creation and Economy Abuja, Nigeria. December 24th, 2019 – As 2019 comes to an end, people look forward to celebrating in various ways so as to relax and kick start 2020. In the course of this season, various items are being purchased, travel tickets are booked, parties are organized whilst family and friends gather to celebrate and wish themselves a more prosperous 2020 ahead. It is also a time of reflection especially on goals achieved and lessons learnt for individuals and the nation as a whole. For instance, it is pertinent to evaluate the performance of the government as it relates to key socio-economic areas, such as security, agriculture, education and electricity, to discuss the challenges of the government in these areas and also deliberate on areas of improvement for all stakeholders. Against this background, NOIPolls conducted this poll to gauge the perceptions of Nigerians on how well the country have fared in 2019 particularly on some key socio-economic areas. The poll result revealed that Nigerians believe that the country has not fared well in the following areas; the Health sector (79 percent), Electricity supply (66 percent), Job creation (65 percent) and the Economy (64 percent). With regards to healthcare, access to quality and affordable health care remains an issue to Nigerians due to challenges like; inadequate capital spending, poor pay, outdated technologies, poor infrastructure, sharp disparities in the availability of medical facilities across the country, high mortality rates, a weakened primary health care system, incessant strikes by doctors and health workers. Stakeholders in the health sector have repeatedly decried declining budgetary allocation to the health sector for instance, a capital expenditure of N46 billion has been allocated to the Ministry of Health in the 2020 budget which is lower than the 51.1 billion allocated in the 2019 budget. According to the 2018 World Health Organization Health Access Quality (HAQ) Index, Nigeria is rated 187th out of 195 countries,[1] therefore it is urgent that adequate capital funding is allocated to the sector to boost healthcare delivery in the country. On electricity supply, 66 percent stated that the sector has not fared well in 2019 and power failure has a very debilitating effect on the economic growth given that electricity supply is fundamental to productivity. Also, adequate and efficient utilization of energy sources to meet the existing demand is essential for high levels of economic growth in Nigeria. Similarly, 65 percent of adult Nigerians reported that Nigeria has not fared well with regards to Job creation. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report unemployment rate in Nigeria increased to 23.10 percent in the third quarter of 2018 from 22.70 percent in the second quarter of 2018. Unemployment.[2] An increasing unemployment rate in Nigeria could have adverse effects on both the economy and the society. For instance, reduction in the national output of goods and services, increased rural-urban migration, high level of poverty, increase in the number of dependent people and high rate of crimes in Nigeria. On the economy, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew from 2.12 percent in the second quarter of 2019 to 2.29 percent in the third quarter of 2019 indicating an increase of 0.17 percent.[3] Despite this increase in the nation’s GDP, the average Nigerian is yet to feel the impact of this increase in the GDP. According to the Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Mr Ben Akabueze, for Nigerians to effectively feel the impact of economic growth, the rate of Gross Domestic Product growth must be higher than the population growth.[4] Survey Findings Respondent’s opinions were assessed on how Nigeria has fared in 2018 on seven specific areas. The poll revealed that 79 percent of Nigerians disclosed that healthcare delivery has not fared well in 2019, while 66 percent lamented over epileptic power supply in 2019. Also, 65 percent of Nigerians complained about lack of job in the country and this could be as a result of the high rate of unemployment and under-employment in the country as well as the thousands of Nigerians who join the labour market on a monthly basis. On the economy, 64 percent of the respondents stated that they nation has not fared well in this area in 2019 despite the marginal increase recorded in the county’s GDP in quarter 3, 2019 as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics. On the contrary, 68 percent of Nigerians reported that the country has fared well in the area of Agriculture while 58% reported that the country has fared well in the Education sector. In conclusion, the poll has revealed that a larger proportion of Nigerians consider healthcare, electricity supply, job creation and the economy as the critical areas that have not fared well in 2019 and consider Agriculture, Education and Security as areas where the government has fared well. Synergy between government and concerned stakeholders will go a long way in ensuring that these critical challenges are addressed in 2020. For instance, fixing these sectors pointed out by Nigerians will attract more foreign direct investments, create millions of jobs, help to create new markets, foster competition, spur innovation, lower prices, raise productivity and in turn leads to increase in living standards. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week of December 16th 2019. It involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample. 1,000 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geopolitical zones in the country, 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%. NOIPolls Limited is the No1 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 general public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as author whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect its 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 fact or for any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken as a result of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions or views herein constitute a judgment as at 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 badedoyin@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 – 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 [1] https://businessday.ng/health/article/nigerias-health-care-system-ranks-187th-globally/ [2] https://tradingeconomics.com/nigeria/unemployment-rate [3] https://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/business-news/364621-nigerias-gdp-grew-in-third-quarter-2019-nbs.html [4] https://punchng.com/why-nigerians-are-not-feeling-impact-of-economic-growth-dg-budget/

Most Nigerians Are Willing To Pay For Their Health Insurance – New Poll Reveals Abuja, Nigeria. December 17th, 2019 – The United Nation’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day was observed on 12th December 2019. It is a yearly event that raises awareness on the need for a strong and resilient health system and universal health coverage. UHC ensures all people, everywhere, can get the quality health services they need without facing financial hardship. It is rooted in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 that seeks to ensure healthy lives for all at all ages. In Nigeria, the health system has been evolving over the years through various health care reforms aimed at tackling the public health challenges in the country. For instance, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was launched in 2005 with the focus of promoting affordable healthcare to Nigerians. However, news reports and statistics have shown that the scheme only covers less than 10 percent of Nigerians and that three-quarters of health care spending in the country was out of pocket payments made to health providers, leaving most of the vulnerable population of the country at the risk of catastrophic health spending.[1] In commemoration of the Universal Health Coverage day, NOIPolls conducted a public opinion poll to assess the perception of Nigerians regarding health insurance in the country. The main crux from the poll revealed that a vast majority of Nigerians (83 percent) do not have access to any form of health insurance having to pay out of pocket to access health care services. Most Nigerians, however, (70 percent) in this category expressed their willingness to pay a small amount of money to enable them access service whenever they fall ill. This implies that there is low access to the National Health Insurance Scheme across the country and calls for intensive sensitization and mass mobilisation of the populace as 50 percent opined that they are not aware of the Health Insurance Scheme whose primary objective is to make health care accessible and affordable to all Nigerians. There is an urgent need to amend the NHIS Act and enact laws to make the scheme more accessible and compulsory for all Nigerians as this would ensure adequate monitoring, efficiency, proper utilization of the health facilities and ultimately better health care delivery system in the country. Also, while it is critical for government to re-evaluate its current budgetary allocation to the health sector; it is also important for stakeholders to consider more sustainable ways to finance of the sector through health insurance, and to mobilise the public to increase the pool of funds available for investment into the sector. Therefore, there is need for an urgent expansion of social health insurance across the country to guarantee financial risk protection to the population and reduce the incidence of out-of-pocket payment. The NHIS needs to support the states to establish their State health insurance schemes and contribute to funding the coverage of the vulnerable population groups namely – young children under age 5, pregnant women not covered by formal health schemes, the elderly population and the economically indigent population. These are some of the key findings from the Health Insurance Poll conducted in the week commencing 9th December, 2019. Background In its commitment to the adoption and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) particularly SDG 3 that addresses Good Health and Well-being, Nigeria launched the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Health Insurance Schemes in Nigeria was introduced to enable access to qualitative healthcare in Nigeria by all and sundry. This is in recognition of the importance of quality medical care to the general well-being of Nigerians and the reality of financial resources as a deterring factor to acquiring qualitative health. Its objectives include providing easy access to medical services, protecting individuals and families alike from financial hardship of huge medical bills, ensuring the equitable distribution of healthcare costs among different income groups. This scheme covers both public and private hospitals in Nigeria.[2] In light of this, NOIPOlls conducted a survey to gauge the awareness and perception of Nigerians on the health insurance scheme in the country. Survey Findings The first question evaluated respondent’s self-assessment of health status and findings indicated that 87 percent reported that they are currently healthy, however, 13 percent stated otherwise. Subsequently, when respondents were asked if they visit the hospital when ill, majority of the respondents (87 percent) interviewed stated that they visit the hospital when ill and almost all the respondents from the North-West zone (97 percent) made this assertion. The respondents who stated that they go to hospital when ill were further asked the type of hospital they go to and the poll result revealed that slightly more than half the respondents (57 percent) visit public hospitals when ill. This shows a high utilization of public hospitals in the country. Other places respondents mentioned include private hospitals (24 percent), pharmacy (9 percent), self-medication and chemist (3 percent), prayers and traditional doctors (2 percent) respectively. Out-of-Pocket payments for healthcare services is on an increase in Nigeria, with 83 percent of respondents reporting that they pay out of pocket and another 2 percent revealed that their health services are paid for by friends and family. Coverage of insurance, either private or social insurance, remains very low at 15 percent from 9 percent in 2017. Men pay more out of pocket than women, and more women have someone else pay for their healthcare than men, and the young and elderly have someone else pay for their healthcare than the middle-aged group. Trend analysis shows a 6 percent increase when current findings are compared with the result obtained in 2017. Although the larger proportion of Nigerians are yet to have access to any form of health insurance, it is encouraging to note a 6 percent increase in two years. Hence, more needs to be done to ensure that all Nigerians have access to health insurance. Out of the proportion of the respondents (15 percent) who stated that they use health insurance, 81 percent use National Health Insurance scheme (NHIS) while 19 percent stated that they use the private HMO. Most of the respondents from the South East zone (95 percent) indicated that they use NHIS. With regards to age, more respondents (92 percent) aged 61 years and above stated that they use the NHIS while most of the HMO users are young Nigerians between 18 – 35 years as depicted in the figure below. Opinion on awareness of NHIS revealed an even split as half of the respondent stated that they are familiar with the scheme while the other 50 percent claimed that they are not aware of the scheme. Furthermore, the poll determined the willingness of Nigerians who currently pay out of pocket to pay a small amount of money monthly or yearly in order to access healthcare services when they need it. In response, 70 percent expressed their willingness to pay a small amount to get enrolled into the health insurance scheme. Trend analysis shows an 8 percent decline in the proportion of respondents who stated that they are willing to pay to access care when ill. It dropped from 78 percent in 2017 to 70 percent in 2019. Of the proportion who wants to be enrolled, 11 percent stated that they know how to go about getting health insurance cover while majority of the respondents (89 percent) claimed that they do not know how to go about getting health insurance and this cuts across all demographics. In conclusion, it is rather perturbing that an overwhelming majority of Nigerians do not have access to any form of health insurance as unveiled by the poll, hence they pay out of pocket to access health care services. Interestingly, it is worthy to note that most Nigerians expressed their willingness to pay a small amount of money to enable them access service whenever they fall ill. This could infer low penetration of health insurance across the country and calls for intensive sensitization and mass mobilisation of the populace to the effect that the general populace will be able to access health care as at when needed and means to pay for same won’t be a deterring factor. There is an urgent need to amend the NHIS Act and enact laws to make the scheme compulsory for all Nigerians as this would ensure proper monitoring, efficiency, proper utilization of the health facilities and ultimately better health care delivery system in the country. It is expedient that to attract investments in the health care sector, the government has to play its role of providing an enabling environment with favourable legislations and laws and would ensure a good return on investment for the investor in whatever form desired. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing December 9th, 2019. 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 general public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as author whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect its 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 fact or for any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken as a result of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions or views herein constitute a judgment as at 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 badedoyin@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 – 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 [1] https://socialprotection.org/discover/blog/health-care-nigeria-challenges-and-recommendations [2] https://nhis.gov.ng/about-us/

The Police and other Government Officials Mostly Blamed for Human Rights Violation in Nigeria Abuja, Nigeria. December 10th, 2019 – NOIPolls joins the world to commemorate the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Day which is observed annually across the world on 10th December. The aim of this campaign is to draw people’s attention to the issues surrounding their human rights irrespective of who or where they are in the world. In commemoration of the World Human Rights Day, NOIPolls conducted a public opinion poll to gauge the awareness and perception of Nigerians regarding their fundamental human rights. It is important to note that during the course of the survey, most Nigerians could not fully comprehend the term “Human Rights” until it was explained to them. For instance, when asked for their understanding of “Human Rights”, most respondents spontaneously ascribed it to right to basic amenities, right to good road, right to good employment and the right to some sort of social safety-net provided by the government. However, upon clear explanation, 86 percent of the respondents claimed to be aware of their basic human rights. The poll results also revealed that most Nigerians (83 percent) believe that human right violation is prevalent in the country. For instance, 32 percent of Nigerians interviewed disclosed that their rights have been infringed upon while few claimed that they know people whose rights have been infringed on in the past. Interestingly, respondents who stated that their right to freedom of movement, right to peaceful assembly and association, right to life, right to freedom of speech etc. had been violated before reported that the Police and government officials were mostly responsible for the violation of these rights. It is rather worrisome to note that the institutions and agencies of government that were established to protect and defend these human rights are the ones being blamed for human rights violation in Nigeria. More findings revealed that most victims (75 percent) of human rights violation in Nigeria do not report violations committed against them. It is pertinent to note that the constitution empowers “any person who alleges any infraction ‘in relation to him or her’” to apply to the High Court for redress. However, during the course of this survey, some respondents lamented that they do not report such cases mainly due to lack of trust in the law enforcement agencies. There is a need for the sensitization of the citizenry on the fundamental human rights through seminars, academic works and books that portray such rights as recommended by 15 percent of the respondents. Sensitization campaigns involving religious and traditional institutions, should at intervals, be carried out to educate or enlighten their subjects on the scope of their rights and how to seek redress when such rights are violated. Given that the police and government officials are the biggest culprit as revealed by the poll, it is therefore, imperative for a routine retraining and reorientation of law enforcement officers across all cadres and government officials on what constitutes human rights as part of efforts to protect the masses. Finally, as advocated by 13 percent of the respondents, violators should be diligently prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others and this could be achieved rapidly by putting modalities in place for the proper enforcement of the laws (National Human Rights Act, 2010) that ensure that Human Rights are protected and promoted across the country. These are some of the key findings from the Human Rights Poll conducted in the week commencing 2nd December, 2019. Background The international Day to commemorate the annual World Human Rights Day is an annual event to celebrate the adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), a milestone document proclaiming the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other orientations, national or social origin, property, birth or other status[1]. To a large extent, the human rights the human race is entitled to is still being largely infringed upon by individuals, parastatals, organizations, government, policies etc. The United Declaration on Human Rights recognizes that no human shall be held in slavery or servitude, but slave trade is still dominant in the world. The document also recognizes the right to free education in the elementary stage, but a lot of children are still wandering streets in different parts of the world uneducated. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Youth standing up for Human Rights” which recognizes the power of the youth in creating an all-inclusive environment for all regardless of gender, social status, religion, orientation etc. Youths have often been marginalized in decision making because of their age but they have always been at the forefront of grassroots mobilization towards positive change and sustainable development. This year’s theme seeks to celebrate the potential of youth as constructive agents of change, amplify their voices, and engage a broad range of global audiences in the promotion and protection of rights. In light of this, NOIPolls conducted a public opinion poll to gauge the awareness of Nigerians regarding their fundamental human rights, their perception on prevalence and if any has been violated as well as the ways to reduce it. Survey Findings The first question sought to gauge human rights awareness in Nigeria and the result revealed that an overwhelming majority of Nigerians claimed (86 percent) to be aware of their basic human rights. Furthermore, findings from the poll also revealed that the issue of human rights violation is prevalent in Nigeria as indicated by a larger share of the respondents interviewed. With regard to infringement, 32 percent of the Nigerians disclosed that their human rights have been infringed upon before and they are more male (37 percent) than female (26 percent) respondent who share this view. Analysis on geo-political zone showed that the North-Central zone constitute the highest number of Nigerians in this category. Similarly, of the 68 percent who claimed that their rights have not been infringed on before, 29 percent acknowledged that they know someone whose rights have been violated before. The North-West zone account for the highest number of respondents with this perception. An assessment of the several rights of Nigerians that have been violated revealed that 28 percent claimed that their ‘right to freedom of movement’ had been trampled upon in one way or another. While 24 percent stated that their ‘right to peaceful assembly and association’ has been infringed on, 16 percent mentioned ‘right to life’. Similarly, ‘right to freedom of speech’ (9 percent), ‘right to dignity of human person’ (9 percent), right to fair hearing’ (8 percent) and right to freedom of expression and the press’ (7 percent) amongst others were also reported to have been infringed upon. Subsequently, Nigerians who claimed that their rights were trampled on were further probed and sadly, findings revealed that 30 percent of the respondents disclosed that the Police is mainly responsible for violating these rights. Nigerians residing in the South-West zone (40 percent) make up the highest number of respondents who share the perception. Also, 22 percent lamented that their rights have been violated by government officials and respondents from South-South zone accounted for the highest representation in this category. When asked if the incident was reported, 25 percent stated that the incidence was reported while 75 indicated that it was not reported. Of the proportion who claimed that the incidence was reported, a greater number of them mentioned that they reported to the police and respondents aged between 18 – 35 years has the highest representation in this section. While 28 percent said they reported to the court, 12 percent reported to the Human Rights Organizations amongst others. With regards to recommendations on reducing human rights violation in the country, 62 percent of Nigerians stated that human rights activist should be allowed to play their role rather than been threatened by security personnel. Similarly, 15 percent suggested that government should create public awareness on people’s rights, 13 percent advocated for government to enforce laws against human right violators while 8 percent recommended that the judiciary should be firm in terms of social justice. In conclusion, the poll results have shown that most Nigerians believe that human right violation is prevalent in the country. For instance, 32 percent of Nigerians disclosed that their rights have been trampled upon before while few claimed that they know people whose rights have been infringed on before. Interestingly, respondents who claimed that their right to freedom of movement, right to peaceful assembly and association, right to life, right to freedom of speech etc. had been violated before reported that the Police and government officials ranked highest amongst other who violated these rights. There is a need for the sensitization of the public on the scope of their fundamental human rights. This sensitization can be through seminars, paid adverts via media outlets, campaigns and the involvement of religious, traditional and civil institutions. The channels of seeking redress should also be communicated whilst direct access to organizations whose mantra includes the protection of human rights should be maintained. Given that the police and government officials ranked highest, it is therefore, imperative for a routine retraining and reorientation of law enforcement officers across all cadres and government officials on what constitutes human rights as part of efforts to protect the masses. Finally, as advocated by 13 percent of the respondents, violators should be diligently prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others and this could be achieved rapidly by putting modalities in place for the proper enforcement of the laws (National Human Rights Act, 2010) that ensure that Human Rights are protected and promoted across the country. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing December 2nd, 2019. 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 teledensity 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 general public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as author whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect its 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 fact or for any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken as a result of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions or views herein constitute a judgment as at 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 badedoyin@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 – 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 [1] https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

In Commemoration of World AIDS Day, HIV/AIDS Is Still Prevalent In Nigeria – New Poll Reveals Abuja, Nigeria. December 3rd, 2019 – The World AIDS day was observed on December 1st, 2019. The aim of this yearly event is to create awareness for people around the world to unite and show support for people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and to remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses. According to a report from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), there were approximately 37.9 million people worldwide with HIV/AIDS in 2018. Of these, 36.2 million were adults and 1.7 million were children below 15 years, although the burden of the epidemic continues to vary considerably between countries and regions.[1] Nigeria is not excluded as reports have revealed that we have the second highest burden of HIV infection in the world with an estimate of 1.9 million people living with HIV and AIDS.[2] In commemoration of the World AIDS Day, NOIPolls conducted a public opinion poll on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. The poll gauged the perception of Nigerians regarding its prevalence, their current HIV status, mode of transmission of HIV as well as discrimination against people living with the HIV. The poll result revealed that HIV/AIDS is still prevalent in the country as stated by 65 percent of Nigerians and analysis on age-group showed that Nigerians aged 18 – 35 years make up the highest percent of Nigerians with this perception. One of the most important ways to reduce the spread of HIV is to be tested for it and it should be considered as a routine part of preventive care. Interestingly, 77 percent of Nigerians claimed that they know their HIV status and this assertion cuts across gender, geo-political zone and age-group with at least 68 percent representation. However, it is rather worrisome to note that while 23 percent of Nigerians reported that they do not know their HIV status, 31 percent of those that claimed to know their status last had a test over a year ago. With regards to mode of transmission, the poll showed that most Nigerians are aware of the common modes of contracting HIV/AIDS as 68 percent cited unprotected sexual intercourse. Also, awareness on mother to child prevention is relatively high amongst Nigerians as 70 percent believe that mother to child transmission can be prevented if proper medication is taken. Furthermore, despite the 2014 HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Act which was signed into law to protect the rights and dignity of people living with HIV, it is worrisome to note that 40 percent of Nigerians still believe that Nigerians living with HIV are being discriminated against. Given the above findings from the poll, encouraging HIV testing among Nigerians to ensure everyone knows their HIV status is key to any informed strategic plan. Without knowing the proportion of Nigerians that are living with HIV, it is hard to mitigate new infections and provide HIV treatment to all. Therefore, it is important that the government and other relevant stakeholders ensure that as many people as possible get tested and that treatment is made available for those who have tested positive to the virus. These are some of the key findings from the HIV/AIDS Poll conducted in the week commencing 18th November, 2019. Background The International Day to commemorate the World AIDS Day is an annual event to sensitize the world on the issues surrounding AIDS. This year particularly recognizes the essential role communities have played and continues to play in addressing the issues surrounding AIDS. As at the end of 2018, there are 37.9 million people living with AIDS globally.[3] Nigeria witnessed its first AIDS case in 1985 where the victim was a 13-year-old sex worker. Ever since then, the numbers have significantly been on the rising increase and statistics have shown that Nigeria has the second largest HIV epidemic in the world with 1.9 million people known to be living with the disease. According to the National Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS, six states in Nigeria account for 41% of people living with HIV including Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Lagos, Oyo and Kano. HIV prevalence is highest in the South-South region which stands at a 5.5%, but with a 1.8% prevalence in the South East. According to the report, there are higher rates of HIV in rural areas than in urban regions.[4] The theme for this year’s celebration is “Communities make the difference”.[5] There are different people like Peer Educators, Community health workers, Grass-root activists, Door-to-Door service providers and counsellors that make up the community. These people’s role in driving change, delivering services, advocating against the barriers that inhibit access to treatment and support for all cannot be overemphasized as they help to foster an all-inclusive nation without discrimination. This year’s theme seeks to recognize their impact as well as their struggles. In light of this, NOIPolls has conducted a public opinion poll to access the perception of Nigerians regarding HIV/AIDS. Survey Findings The first question sought to gauge the perception of HIV/AIDS prevalence in Nigeria, and findings indicted that the incidence of HIV/Aids is prevalent in the country. This was stated by 65 percent of the respondents interviewed. Analysis by age-group showed that those aged 18 – 35 years make up the highest proportion of Nigerians with this perception. It is important to note that 53 percent of respondents from the North West do not think that HIV/AIDS is prevalent in Nigeria. One of the most important ways to reduce the spread of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is to be tested for it and it should be considered as a routine part of preventive care. Given the above, 77 percent of Nigerians interviewed claimed that they know their HIV status and this assertion largely cuts across gender, geo-political zone and age-group. It is rather worrisome to note that 23 percent of Nigerians reported that they do not know their HIV status. Of the proportion who know their HIV status, 57 percent acknowledged that they had last conducted a test on HIV at least 6 months (or more) ago. This means a larger proportion of those who claimed to know their status have not checked their status within the past 6 months. Respondents from the South East zone had the highest proportion of residents whose HIV test was older than 6 months. Furthermore, 71 percent of the respondents revealed that they did their HIV test in a public health facility, while 27 percent disclosed it was conducted at a private health facility, amongst other facilities. With regards to mode of transmission, the poll result revealed that the most popular means of transmission of HIV/AIDS was through unprotected sexual intercourse as reported by 81 percent of respondents. 27 percent of respondents also indicated Sharing of needles and sharp objects as a means of transmitting HIV/AIDS. With regards to awareness of testing centres, a larger share of Nigerians acknowledged that they know where they can go and get tested for HIV in their locality however, 32 percent disclosed they were unaware. Across geo-political zones, North West had the highest proportion of respondents who were not aware of where to get tested at 44 percent followed by South West at 36 percent. An overwhelming majority (92 percent) of Nigerians stated that HIV/AIDS cannot be cured, and this response cuts across all demographics. Only 8 percent claimed that HIV/AIDS can be cured. Of the small proportion who believe it can be cured, a greater number of them (45 percent) believe that HIV/AIDS can be cured by the use of herbal medicine. Knowledge of mother to child transmission revealed that most respondents believe that pregnant women who are HIV positive can give birth to children who are HIV negative. Of this proportion, 48 percent of the respondents said it is possible if expectant mothers take their medications religiously. The HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Act 2014 was signed into law to protect the rights and dignity of people living with HIV therefore making it illegal to discriminate against people based on their HIV status. It also prohibits any employer, individual or organization from requiring a person to take an HIV test as a precondition for employment or access to services. However, it is worrisome to note that 40 percent of Nigerians still believe that Nigerians living with HIV are being discriminated against regardless of the 2014 HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Act. In conclusion, the poll findings have shown that HIV/AIDS is prevalent and most Nigerians are aware of the common modes of contracting HIV/AIDS as 68 percent cited unprotected sexual intercourse. It is worthy to note that Nigeria’s response to HIV/AIDS is guided by the National Strategic Framework 2017–2021, hence government and other stakeholders should mainly focus on ending AIDS by achieving zero new infections rate, zero AIDS related deaths, zero discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS and elimination of mother-to-child transmission. It is challenging to deal with HIV epidemic without access to treatment; thus, considerable commitment, funding and resources need to be expended to expand access to treatment as a tool for both managing people living with HIV and as preventive method as well. For instance, providing anti-retroviral treatment for Nigerians living with HIV doesn’t only benefit those already living with HIV, it will also reduce the chance of onward transmission to other Nigerians. In commemoration of the World AIDS day, it is essential to engage all members of the society, especially those who are most vulnerable to HIV, to a unified HIV response. Finally, HIV testing should be greatly encouraged among the Nigerians to ensure everyone knows their HIV status, because it is difficult to reduce new infections and provide HIV treatment to all without knowing the figure of Nigerians living with the virus. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing November 18th, 2019. 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 teledensity 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 general public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as author whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect its 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 fact or for any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken as a result of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions or views herein constitute a judgment as at 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 badedoyin@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 – 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 [1] https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/global-statistics [2] https://www.unodc.org/nigeria/en/hiv-and-aids.html [3] https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-aids-day/2019 [4] https://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-around-world/sub-saharan-africa/nigeria [5] https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-aids-day

In Commemoration of International Day for The Elimination of Violence Against Women; Domestic Violence Is Highly Prevalent In Nigeria Especially amongst Women and Girls Abuja, Nigeria. November 26th, 2019 – The United Nations’ (UN) International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was observed on the 25th of November 2019. The aim of the Day is to raise awareness on how women worldwide are subjected to rape, domestic violence and other forms of violence as well as emphasizing that the scale and true nature of the issue is often concealed. Violence against women is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in the world today and remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it. It has continued to be an obstacle to achieving equality, development, peace as well as to the fulfilment of women’s human rights. The promise of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – to leave no one behind – cannot be fulfilled without putting an end to violence against women and girls. Therefore, it is an opportunity for governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations to raise public awareness of violence against women. Against this backdrop and in commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, NOIPolls conducted a public opinion poll on domestic violence in Nigeria. The poll accessed the perceptions of Nigerians regarding Domestic Violence; its prevalence, practice, reporting of incidence as well as recommendations on how it can be curbed. The poll revealed that more than 8 in 10 (82 percent) Nigerians believe that domestic violence is prevalent in Nigeria and this assertion cuts across gender, geo-political zones and age-groups. More findings from the poll show that despite prohibition by Section 34 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the rights of Nigerians against torture and other cold-hearted or degrading treatment; majority of Nigerians (82 percent) disclosed that domestic violence of men against women is prevalent in the country. Similarly, men are also at the receiving end of domestic violence as 43 percent revealed that domestic violence of women against men is prevalent. Sadly, 70 percent stated that domestic violence against children is prevalent and the South West zone (80 percent) make up the highest percentage of Nigerians with this perception. Furthermore, with regards to Nigerians who have either suffered or know someone who has suffered any form of domestic violence, the findings revealed that 47 percent of Nigerians have either been victims or know a victim of domestic violence. Of this proportion, 63 percent disclosed that most victims of domestic violence are women. Violence against women is a serious concern, hence, the call for more protection of women from the menace of domestic violence in the society. Incidence of domestic violence remains largely under-reported as 55 percent of the respondents disclosed that these incidences were not reported. Finally, this International Day and the 16 Days of Activism are a timely opportunity to raise awareness for the health and social consequences of violence against women and strengthen commitment to collective action in Nigeria. These are some of the key findings from the Domestic Violence Poll conducted in the week commencing 18th November 2019. Background The international day for the elimination of violence against women is an annual campaign that seeks to sensitize the world regarding the dangers associated with violence against women. The campaign also seeks to draw the attention of various governments and stakeholders to expedite actions in eradicating violence against women. Generally, domestic violence poses great dangers such as physical, adverse psychological, sexual and emotional harm against women, hence the need for its eradication. This issue has continued to be an obstacle to achieving equality, development, peace as well as the fulfilment of women and girl’s human rights. Furthermore, violence against women manifests itself in physical, sexual and psychological forms which include but not limited to intimate partner violence, sexual violence and harassment, sexual abuse, forced marriage, street harassment, stalking and in some extreme cases death. Others include human trafficking, female genital mutilation and child marriage. Additionally, Statistics have shown that 1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime mostly by an intimate partner or a close relative. Also, 750 million women alive today were married before their 18th birthday, while 200 million women have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM).[1] The theme for the 2019 day is Orange the world: generation equality stands against rape; this seeksto attract the attention of the world regarding rape as a specific form of harm committed against women in times of peace or war. To further buttress the essence and importance of the day, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated thus: “Sexual violence against women is rooted in centuries of male domination. Let us not forget that the gender inequalities that fuel rape culture are essentially a question of power imbalance”[2]. In a bid to end the menace of domestic violence, the Nigerian National Assembly passed a bill against domestic violence which is awaiting senate approval before it becomes law. The bill stipulates stricter punishments for sexual violence and to also provide support and measures to eliminate this menace[3]. In view of this, NOIPolls conducted a public opinion poll on Domestic Violence to access the perception of Nigerians on its prevalence, practice, reporting of incidence as well as recommendations on how it can be curbed. Survey Findings The first question accessed the opinion of Nigerians on the prevalence of domestic violence in the country and the poll findings revealed that a vast majority (82 percent) of respondents believe that domestic violence is prevalent in Nigeria and this assertion cuts across gender, geo-political zones and age-groups. Similarly, men are also at the receiving end of domestic violence in the country as 43 percent revealed that domestic violence of women against men is prevalent. Sadly, 70 percent stated that domestic violence against children is prevalent and the South West zone (80 percent) make up the highest percentage of Nigerians with this perception. Subsequently, the poll also sought to measure the proportion of Nigerians who have either suffered or know someone who has suffered any form of domestic violence and the findings revealed that 47 percent of Nigerians have either been victims or know a victim of domestic violence. This finding substantiates the fact that domestic violence is prevalent in Nigeria. Trend analysis shows a 7 percent decline in the number of Nigerians who have either been victims or know a victim of domestic violence when current findings are compared with the results obtained in 2016. To gain further insights on the victims of domestic violence, of the proportion in the above findings, 63 percent disclosed that most victims of domestic violence are women and as expected, there are more female (80 percent) than male (50 percent) respondents who have this perception. Interestingly, trend analysis indicates a 12 percent decline in the proportion of Nigerians who mentioned that most victims of domestic violence are women when current findings were compared with the results obtained in 2016. The chart below indicates that more cases of domestic violence were not reported as revealed by 55 percent of Nigerians interviewed and the South West zone (78 percent) make up the highest number of respondents with this view. Of the proportion who reported the incidence, when further probed, a greater proportion (45 percent disclosed that the incidence was reported to friends & family while 33 percent said that they reported to the police. Other segments of the respondents reported to human right activists (15 percent), community leaders (9 percent), religious leaders (8 percent) and NGOs (5 percent) With regards to cause of domestic violence, most Nigerians believe that misunderstanding is the main cause of domestic violence in many Nigerian homes. This is followed by 25 percent who blamed the incidence on poverty amongst other reasons. The top three effects of domestic violence as stated by Nigerians interviewed are that it can lead to divorce (40 percent), negatively affect the upbringing of the children, and that it can lead to death. When asked about how to help victims of domestic violence, the results showed that while 29 percent suggested that they should be offered proper counselling, 27 percent recommended that they should be empowered. This is closely followed by 26 percent who mentioned that they should go through medical treatment. Opinion on the punishment for perpetrators revealed that 33 percent of the respondents advocated that the perpetrators should undergo a community service. While 18 percent want the government to enact a law against domestic violence, 15 percent believe that they should be flogged in public. The poll sought to obtain suggestions from Nigerians on how domestic violence can be curbed in Nigeria and findings revealed that 17 percent of respondents advocated proper counselling on marital relationships. This infers that spouse/partners should be guided on how to develop mutual understanding on all issues and challenges that presents itself in their daily lives. Conclusion In conclusion, the poll results have clearly revealed that domestic violence is prevalent in Nigeria especially domestic violence of men against women. This is worrisome given that women play a great role in the nurturing of children and their psychological well-being is very important because it often determines the quality of upbringing given to their children and the society at large. Hence, this calls for more protection of women from the menace of domestic violence in the society. Incidence of domestic violence remains largely under-reported as a significant proportion of incidences have not been reported. There is need to create more awareness regarding reporting cases of domestic violence in Nigeria. Finally, impunity, silence and stigma have allowed violence against women and girls to escalate to wide proportions. Hence, it is imperative for the government, religious institutions, communities and relevant stakeholders to provide support and effective channels of support to victims of domestic violence, which are mostly women and children, while propagating an anti-domestic violence campaign. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing November 18th, 2019. 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, No1 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 general public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as author whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect its 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 fact or for any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken as a result of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions or views herein constitute a judgment as at 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 badedoyin@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 – 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 [1] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women [2] https://www.un.org/en/events/endviolenceday/ [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_violence_in_Nigeria

In Commemoration of World Toilet Day; Open Defecation still highly practiced in Nigeria – New Poll Reveals Abuja, Nigeria. November 20th, 2019 – NOIPolls joins the world to commemorate the World Toilet Day (WTD) which was observed on the 19th of November, 2019. The aim of the annual event is to raise awareness of the crucial role that sanitation plays in reducing disease and creating healthier communities across the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), about 4.2 billion people live without safely managed sanitation, three billion lack basic handwashing facilities and 673 million still practice open defecation.[1] This sanitation crisis means that untreated human waste is spreading diseases into water supplies and the food chain for billions of people hence, estimated to cause 432,000 diarrhea deaths yearly.[2] Nigeria is not an exception as data report from UNICEF indicates that Nigeria has been ranked second among countries practicing open defecation globally.[3] Against this background, NOIPolls in collaboration with Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) conducted a public opinion poll on access to sanitation facilities in Nigeria. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control is the country’s national public health institute, with the mandate to lead the preparedness, detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks and public health emergencies. The aim of NCDC is to protect the health of Nigerians through evidence-based prevention, integrated disease surveillance and response activities, using a one health approach, guided by research and led by a skilled workforce. The poll highlighted the perceptions of Nigerians regarding access to sanitation facilities, prevalence and practice of open defecation as well as suggestions on how the issue can be addressed. The poll revealed that most Nigerians (76 percent) acknowledged that access to sanitation facility is a challenge. When asked of the sanitation facility respondents use, majority of the respondents (83 percent) mentioned private toilet connected to private septic tank, 14 percent said pit latrine and 2 percent stated open defecation amongst other facilities. In terms of prevalence, 80 of Nigerians believe that the issue of open defecation is prevalent across the country. With regards to practice, sadly, 63 percent of Nigerians disclosed that they have seen people practicing open defecation in their respective locality and of this proportion, 52 percent stated that they always see people practicing open defecation in their locality. More findings showed that Nigerians are aware of the dangers associated with open defecation as mentioned by 82 percent of the respondents and the top three dangers cited are diarrhea (40 percent), typhoid (22 percent) and cholera (13 percent). To effectively tackle this awful culture, there should be a concerted effort to provide toilets in public places as recommended by 40 percent of Nigerians so that people would not have recourse to relieving themselves in the open. Government agencies, town planners and other stakeholders responsible for the environment should ensure that toilets are mandated for every household when putting up a structure as suggested by 28 percent of Nigerians. These are the key findings from the Access to Sanitation Facility Poll conducted by NOIPolls in collaboration with Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in the week commencing November 4th, 2019. Background The World Toilet Day is an annual campaign that seeks to draw the attention of the world to the challenges of sanitation experienced by people globally. It is also a day which seeks to inspire the world to tackle the global sanitation crisis and to also help achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 which promises sanitation for all by the year 2030. The theme for this year is Leaving no one behind which is a deliberate step in the right direction to ensure that no one is left behind in the sanitation issues that affects a large proportion of the world’s population. More so, according to statistics, there is an estimated 4.2 billion people living without safely managed sanitation and about 673 million people around the world practise open defecation.[4] In Nigeria, more than 70,000 children under five years die from diarrhoea disease as a result of unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation condition every year. Also, about 47 million Nigerians practise open defecation according to previous statistics obtained. With regards to these alarming figures, the federal government declared a state of emergency in water, sanitation and hygiene in November, 2018 in a bid to reverse the trend. This was swiftly followed by the launching of a national campaign – clean Nigeria: use the toilet, which was launched in April 2019.[5] In view of this escalating and mind-boggling statistics, and in commemoration of the day, NOIPolls in collaboration with Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) conducted a poll to gauge the opinion of Nigerians regarding access to sanitation facilities and open defection in the country. Survey Findings Access to sanitation facility is essential to the socio-economic wellbeing and sustainable development of every society. Given the above, when respondents were asked if access to sanitation facility is a challnege, 76 percent of Nigerians acknowledged that access to sanitation facility is a challenge in Nigeria while 24 percent think otherwise. The poll also sought to ascertain the opinion of Nigerians on the type of sanitation facility they use in their household and the largest proportion (83 Percent) stated that they use private toilet connected to a private septic tank whereas 14 percent indicated that they use pit latrine, sadly, 2 percent of the respondents stated that they practice open defecation while 1 percent stated that they use private toilet connected to a public sewage. Trend analysis shows a 4% increase in the proportion of Nigerians who use private toilets connected to private septic tank when current result is compared to the result obtained in 2013. With regards to open defecation, majority of Nigerians stated that open defecation is prevalent in Nigeria. This finding corroborates premium times report that identified Nigeria as the second in the world among countries where open defecation is prevalent.[6] With respect to knowledge, 63 percent of Nigerians confirmed that they have seen people carrying out this act within their locality and there are more Nigerians residing in the North Central zone who made this assertion. Of the above proportion, slightly more than half of the respondents (52 percent) disclosed that they always noticed this practice and this is followed by 32 percent who said sometimes. This infers that open defecation is a challenge across the country especially in the North central zone as 68 percent said they always see people practice open defecation. This result further corroborates the findings from UNICEF which revealed that Kogi state, a state in North Central zone, practise open defecation more than any other state in the country.[7] Respondents were asked if they are aware of the dangers of open defecation and the result revealed that 82 percent of the respondents say they are aware of the dangers associated with open defecation and this cuts across gender, geo-political zone and age-group with at least 71 percent representation. Of the 82 percent of Nigerians who indicated that they are aware of the dangers associated with open defecation, 40 percent cited diarrhorea as one of the dangers while 22 percent mentioned typhoid amongst other diseases mentioned. Respondents were asked to suggest what government should do to address the issue of open defecation in Nigeria. 40 percent suggested that more toilets should be provided in public spaces while 28 percent stated that toilets should be mandatory for every household, 13 percent advocated for the enactment of policies against open defecation amongst other recommendations. Conclusion In conclusion, the poll result has revealed that access to good sanitation facility is a challenge in Nigeria as indicated by 76 percent of Nigerians. Also, majority of Nigerians (83 percent) attest to the fact that they use private toilet connected to private septic tank while 14 percent say they use pit latrine. It is interesting to note that 2 percent of the respondents disclosed that they practice open defecation. In terms of prevalence of open defecation, the poll revealed a high prevalence as 80 percent of Nigerians acknowledged this. And of this proportion, 63 percent say they have seen other Nigerians practicing open defecation with the North Central (76 percent) having more people who say they have seen more people practicing open defecation on a regular basis. To effectively tackle this awful culture, there should be a concerted effort to provide toilets in public places as recommended by 40 percent of the Nigerians so that people would not have recourse to relieving themselves in the open. Government agencies, town planners and other stakeholders responsible for the environment should ensure that toilets are mandated for every household when putting up a structure as suggested by 28 percent of Nigerians. Finally, there is also the need for the government and relevant stakeholders to create more awareness regarding the dangers of open defecation and to build more public toilets in open places to encourage usage of toilets. This can also be achieved by providing mobile toilets in order to discourage open defecation in the country. These actions will go a long way in ensuring that open defecation is eradicated completely by 2030. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing November 11th , 2019. 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, No1 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 general public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as author 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 fact or for any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken as a result of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions or views herein constitute a judgment as at 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 badedoyin@noi-polls.com Number: +234 (0) 9 – 290 4162 +234 (0) 9 – 291 4877 [1] https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/jmp-report-2019/en/ [2] https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sanitation [3] https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/water-sanitation-and-hygiene [4] https://www.un.org/en/events/toiletday/ [5] https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/jul/30/my-message-is-simple-use-the-toilet-tackling-open-defecation-in-nigeria [6] [6] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [7] https://www.thisdaylive.com