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  • Defending Champions Chelsea Suffer 7-Points Decline In Nigerian Fan Base; Prediction To Win EPL 2015

    Abuja, Nigeria. August 11th, 2015 – The Annual Football Special Edition poll results released by NOIPolls revealed that there has been a decline in the Nigerian fan base of Chelsea FC, the defending champions of the English Premier League (EPL) by 7-points from 2014 to 2015; although it still records the highest support (35 percent) from Nigerian football fans in 2015, followed by ‘Arsenal FC’ (27 percent) and ‘Manchester United’ (23 percent). There was also a slight 1-point decline in the Nigerian fan base of Manchester United FC from 2014 to 2015, with a corresponding 3-point increase in the fan base of Arsenal FC within the same period; an increase that has steadily risen within the period 2012 to 2015. Likely reasons for the decline in the fan base of Chelsea FC could be attributed to the sale of Pete Cech to Arsenal (which could also have been a reason for the increase in the fan base of this club) and the move of Didier Drogba (top striker and fan favorite) to Canadian Club – Montreal Impact. Similarly, the increase in the fan base of Arsenal may be as a result of the shift in the fan base of Chelsea and Manchester United FCs, also possibly because it won the 2015 Community Shield Cup on the 1st of August, 2015. Moreover, ‘Chelsea FC’ (39 percent) topped the prediction chart as the FC selected to win the 2015/2016 EPL. This club has consistently been the top choice for Nigerian EPL fans over three years (2013 to 2015); although this vote was highest in 2014 with 54 percent. In addition, ‘Arsenal FC’ (28 percent) and ‘Manchester United FC’ (24 percent) came second and third on the prediction chart. Furthermore, an assessment of the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) revealed a lower followership compared with the EPL as only 30 percent of Nigerian football fans, especially from the South-East zone confirmed they follow the NPL; although this figure becomes encouraging with a 5-point increase in the followership in 2015 from 25 percent in 2014. Still on the NPL, poll results revealed that ‘Enyimba’ (26 percent) records the largest fan base in the Nigerian Premier League and closely followed by ‘Kano Pillars’ with 22 percent. Moreover the NPL fans tip Enyimba (30 percent) to win the 2015 Nigerian Premier League title. Brief Background The 24th Season (2015/2016) of the English Premier League began on the 8th of August 2015 and ends on the 15th of May 2016. With this new season, once again hopes, fears and expectations are widespread in the hearts and conversations of football fans far and wide. Bournemouth, Watford, and Norwich City entered as the three newly promoted teams from the 2014/2015 Football League Championship, while Hull City, Burnley and Queens Park Rangers were relegated to the Championship League. As the 2015/2016 English Premier League season progresses, the table will definitely reflect which club has brought the best standards to the competition. While the 2015/2016 EPL season is still young with 37 matches to play out, it is noteworthy to state that the first set of matches have proven to be unpredictable and have set the tone of what promises to be an exciting season. Nonetheless, the current league table is likely to change when the season reaches its finale in May 2016.[1] On the other hand, the 44th season of Nigerian Premier League which started on the 7th of March 2015 and is scheduled to end on the 15th of November 2015, welcomed the Kano Pillars as the defending champions of the 2014 season. The Shooting Stars, Garbros, Wikki Tourists and Kwara United entered the NPL as the newly promoted teams, while Gombe United, Crown, Kaduna United and Nembe City were all relegated to the lower division league.[2] Enyimba is currently topping the table with 41 points after playing 22 matches. The league table is likely to witness changes as the competition reaches its conclusions in a few months’ time.[3] Against this background, NOIPolls conducted its yearly Football Special Edition Poll to gauge the perceptions of Nigerians regarding the English Premier League (EPL) and the Nigerian Premier League (NPL). The poll was conducted before the commencement of the season. The first annual Football Special Edition Poll was conducted in August 2012. The key objectives of the survey were to determine football fan base in Nigeria, measure the proportion of Nigerian football fans who follow the English Premier League, ascertain the support of Nigerians for the English Premier League clubs and assess the prediction(s) on the EPL club to win the 2015/2016 EPL. The poll also sought to measure the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) followership and rationale for followership, gauge the support for NPL clubs and assess the prediction(s) of the NPL club to win the 2015 title Key Findings Respondents were asked nine specific questions and 5 of these questions would be discussed in this release. To ascertain the proportion of Nigerians who follow the English Premier League, respondents were asked: Do you follow the English Premier Football League? Findings revealed that Nigeria has a very large proportion (74 percent) of football lovers who follow the English Premier League, while 26 percent who watch football do not follow the EPL league. Analysis based on geo-political zones revealed that the South-West zone (81 percent) has the highest proportion of respondents who follow the English Premier League, while analysis by gender revealed that more male (85 percent) than female (63 percent) football fans follow the EPL. In addition, the largest proportion of respondents who follow the EPL were aged between 26 – 35 years. Comparing current results with the poll conducted in 2014 revealed an increased followership of the EPL in Nigeria in 2015 when compared to 2014. This is evident in the 4-point increase in the proportion of football fans that follow the EPL. This increase may be attributed to the participation of Nigerians on social media where various topics such as football are discussed especially among teenagers and young adults. In order words, football fans who do not have access to watching live matches may as well follow the live updates on social media. In addition, the EPL experienced its highest followership in Nigeria in 2013 and experienced a huge decline of 19 points in 2014. In order to determine the current fan base of the EPL clubs, respondents were asked: Which Premier League club do you support? ‘Chelsea FC’ records the highest support by Nigerian football fans as indicated by 35 percent of the respondents. This is followed by ‘Arsenal FC’ and ‘Manchester United’ with 27 percent and 23 percent respectively. Analysis across geo-political zones revealed that the South-East zone accounted for the highest proportion (45 percent) of respondents who support Chelsea FC. The North-West zone and the South-South zone accounted for the larger share of respondents who support Arsenal FC and Manchester United FC with 37 percent and 33 percent respectively. Also, evaluation based on gender revealed that more female than male football fans support Chelsea FC (40 percent) and Arsenal FC (28 percent) than Manchester United FC. Yearly trend analysis from 2012 to 2015 revealed that the highest support (33 percent) for Manchester United FC from the Nigerian football fan base was obtained in 2013 when they won the EPL. Chelsea FC experienced its highest support (42 percent) from the Nigerian fan base in 2014 when Jose Mourinho returned to the club as head coach, while Arsenal FC recorded its highest support in 2015, probably due to the addition of new players to the team most notable Pete Cech as the new goal keeper and also possibly due to its winning of the 2015 Community Shield Cup on the 1st August 2015. Furthermore, there has been a decline in the fan base of Chelsea FC by 7-points and Manchester United FC slightly by 1-point from 2014 to 2015, with a corresponding 3-point increase in the fan base of Arsenal FC within the same period; an increase that has steadily risen within the period 2012 to 2015. This increase in the fan base of Arsenal may be as a result of the shift in the fan base of Chelsea and Manchester United FCs or the club may have just attracted new fans. Subsequently, respondents were asked: Which English Premiership club would you pick to win the 2014/2015 season? ‘Chelsea FC’ topped the prediction chart as the FC selected to win the 2015/2016 EPL as disclosed by 39 percent of the EPL followers. This finding therefore suggests that some supporters of other clubs also share this same view given the fact that Chelsea has 35 percent support from the total EPL followers. Furthermore, Chelsea FC supporters also hope that Jose Mourinho will lead “the Blues” to victory as he did in 2005 and 2006. In addition, ‘Arsenal FC’ and ‘Manchester United FC’ came second and third on the prediction chart with 28 percent and 24 percent respectively. Yearly trend analysis revealed that Chelsea has consistently been the top choice for Nigerian EPL fans selected over other EPL clubs to win the EPL title for three years (2013 to 2015) despite a 15 point decline from it’s 54 percent in 2014. Furthermore, Manchester United which held the second position in this vote both in 2013 (35 percent) and 2014 (21 percent) became the third choice in 2015, while Arsenal which was the third choice in 2013 (17 percent) and 2014 (19 percent) is currently the second choice the Nigerian EPL fans selected to win the 2015/2016 EPL season. Most notably, there was a significant 15-point drop in the proportion of Nigerian EPL fans who selected Chelsea FC to win the season from 2014 to 2015; this is surprising considering the club’s title as defending champions of the EPL. To determine the percentage of Nigerians who follow the Nigerian Premier League (NPL), respondents were asked: Do you follow the Nigerian Premier League? The outcome revealed that 70 percent of Nigerian football fans surveyed claimed that they do not follow the NPL whereas; only 30 percent confirmed that they follow the NPL. Analysis by geo-political zone revealed that the South-East zone has the highest followership (42 percent) of the Nigerian Premier League. In addition, more male (40 percent) than female (20 percent) football fans follow the NPL. Yearly trend evaluation revealed a significant 5-points increase in the number of Nigerians who follow the NPL in 2015 compared with 2014, although this is low compared to previous years where about half (2012: 48 percent; 2013: 51 percent) of Nigerian football fans were followers of the NPL. In 2012, the Nigerian telecommunication company Globacom signed a 3 years sponsorship contract with the Nigeria Premier League.[1] Hence, bringing more excitement to the NPL therefore, resulting in a 3-points increase in 2013. Conversely, in 2014, there was a drastic 26-points decline in the proportion of Nigerians who followed the NPL. This may be linked to the ‘win-at-home’ Syndrome and bad officiating which rocked the NPL within this period. Statistics revealed that in the 2012/2013 NPL season, out of 380 matches played, only 18 away wins were recorded which is less than 5 percent.[2] Respondents who follow the NPL (30 percent of the total Nigerian football fan base) were further asked: Which Nigerian Premier League club do you support? The result disclosed that ‘Enyimba’ (26 percent) has the largest fanbase in the Nigerian Premier League, closely followed by ‘Kano Pillars’ with 22 percent. 16 percent of respondents indicated that they do not follow any of the NPL clubs. Analysis by geo-political zone revealed that the larger proportion of Enyimba fans are residents of South-West zone (50 percent), while the North-West zone accounted for the larger proportion of football fans who support Kano Pillars (51 percent). The South-East zone accounted for the largest proportion of respondents who support Enugu Rangers FC (25 percent) and Heartland FC (23 percent). Trend analysis indicates a 5-point increase in the proportion of Nigerians who support Enyimba in 2015 when compared to 2014. On the other hand, Kano Pillars suffered a huge 18-point decline in its fan base in 2015 from 2014 (40 percent) even though it won the 2014 Nigerian Premier League. In conclusion, more than 7 in 10 Nigerians follow the English Premier League. More findings revealed that Chelsea FC’ records the highest support by Nigerian football fans as indicated by 35 percent of the respondents. This is followed by ‘Arsenal FC’ and ‘Manchester United’ with 27 percent and 23 percent respectively. Moreover EPL fans picked ‘Chelsea FC’ to win the 2015/2016, while ‘Arsenal FC’ came second on the prediction chart with 28 percent, and ‘Manchester United FC’ came third (24 percent). Furthermore, only 3 in 10 Nigerians indicated that they follow the Nigerian Premier League; and this is mainly due to ‘Patriotism’ (65 percent), while other fans (23 percent) admitted “they enjoy it” and that the ‘players play well’ (8 percent) amongst other reasons. Additionally, ‘Enyimba’ (26 percent) has the largest fan base in the Nigerian Premier League followed by ‘Kano Pillars’ with 22 percent. Finally, most Nigerians (30 percent) picked Enyimba to win the 2015 Nigerian Premier League Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week of 3rd of August 2015. It involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample of 1000 phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geopolitical zones in the country. 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 3%. 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 The Editor Email: editor@noi-polls.com [1] http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2538196-complete-a-to-z-of-the-201516-premier-league-season [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria_Premier_League [3] http://www.flashscore.com/soccer/nigeria/premier-league/ [3] [1] http://nairabrains.com/2015/07/globacoms-nigeria-football-league-sponsorship-to-end-in-2015-what-next-for-the-npfl/ [2] http://thepointernewsonline.com/?p=33678 [3] http://cheeronnigeria.blogspot.com/2014/03/super-sports-34-million-broadcast-right.html

  • Facebook ranked No. 1 social media and online dating platform in Nigeria

    Abuja, Nigeria. February 23rd, 2016 –Latest public opinion poll released by NOIPolls has ranked Facebook as Nigeria’s No. 1 social media platform, with about 9 in 10 respondents (of the 63 percent who use social media) stating that they own a Facebook account. This was closely trailed by Whatsapp in 2nd position (73 percent), Blackberry Messenger (BBM) in 3rd position (20 percent) and Twitter in 4th position with 17 percent. The release of this poll which coincides with Social Media Week (SMW) Lagos 2016 and sought to gauge the perception of Nigerians on social media usage and the prevalence of online dating in the country; ranked Facebook as the leading online dating platform in Nigeria with 72 percent. This was followed in a distant by Whatsapp (15 percent), 2go (8 percent) and Badoo (5 percent) amongst others. Interestingly, in terms of frequency of use, the poll further revealed that Whatsapp (50 percent) topped the chart as the most frequently used social media platform in Nigeria, followed by Facebook with 45 percent. More findings from the poll revealed that Nigerians (90 percent) perceive there is a prevalence of online dating in Nigeria even as 3 in 10 of this proportion (30 percent) affirmed that they either know someone or engage in online dating themselves. Respondents in this category were mostly aged between 18-35 years; and this finding corroborates data from other secondary sources which revealed that online dating is mostly common among youths both single and married between ages of 18-35 years[1]. Moreover, while online dating may present pros and cons to individuals who practice it, more than half of the respondents (53 percent) believe that it is a good platform to meet people. These are the key findings from the Online Dating Poll conducted by NOIPolls in the week commencing February 15th 2016. Brief Background Nigerians use the internet for different purposes. Some use it for academic research, news and information channels, and social network sites for inter-personal relationships. Some of the social network sites and apps includes; Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Christian mingle, Tumblr, Vine, Snapchat, Badoo, Flirchi, WeChat, 2go, skype, etc. In 2015, 93 million Nigerians surfed the internet through their phones out of which 44 percent used it on social network sites[2]. Online dating is one of the features of some social network sites and it is a medium of ​starting a ​romantic ​relationship on the internet, through the sharing of personal information[3]. The objective of online dating is to develop personal, romantic and sexual relationship often between two individuals. In 2013, Forbes magazine estimated that there are more than 8,000 dating sites worldwide[4]. Online dating is becoming common in Nigeria, though the news of its demerits flies over the media in recent years. Despite the unpredictability involved in online dating, increasing number of Nigerians both single and married have developed interests in joining some of these sites in search of relationships from opposite sex or in few cases same sex. In the light of this background, NOIPolls conducted a survey to ascertain the opinion and perceptions of Nigerians regarding social media and online dating in Nigeria. Survey Findings In an attempt to ascertain social media use in Nigeria, the survey revealed that almost two-third (63 percent) of respondents stated that they are on one form of social media or the other. Analysis on age-group revealed a decline in the percentage of Nigerians who use social media with an increase in age; from 74 Percent (those aged between 18–25 years) and down to 18 Percent (those aged between 61 years and above). The survey also sought to gain insight on the social media platforms used by Nigerians; respondents were allowed to list as many social media platforms they use and findings revealed that due to the unique features of various social media platforms, most Nigerians use more than one, depending on preferences. To this effect, Facebook (91 percent) was mentioned as the most used social media platform in Nigeria. This finding supports reports from Facebook that Nigeria has about 7.2 million daily active users with 97 percent of them accessing the platform via mobile to like, share and upload content on the social network.[8] This is followed by WhatsApp (73 percent), BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) (20 percent) and Twitter (17 percent) among other social media platforms. Analysis by gender revealed that slightly more female than male Nigerians use Facebook (93 percent), WhatsApp (76 percent) and BBM (22 percent), while more male than female Nigerians use Twitter (22 percent), Instagram (12 percent) and LinkedIn (6 percent). This is in line with the survey conducted by Pew Research Center in 2015 which revealed that more women tend to belong to the social media platforms that has dating features like Facebook, BBM, and WhatsApp, unlike men who prefer those platforms that have forums for sharing business ideas or information like LinkedIn, Twitter,[6]. In addition, the result revealed that those aged between 18 – 25 years have more affinity to Facebook while respondents aged 61 years and above prefer WhatsApp. Online dating appears to be prevalent despite the challenges and the risks involved, hence creating easy opportunities for romance and closing up distances and other things. Some years ago, relationships depended on proximity of the partners, distance was so much of a problem as letters took weeks to get delivered and in some cases they even got lost on transit. In present times, distance is no longer much of a problem as the whole world is connected through numerous accessible social media sites, and mobile telephony including video calls and electronic conferencing. In line with the above statement, 9 in 10 Nigerians survey acknowledged that online dating is predominant in Nigeria and slightly more than 3 in 10 Nigerians affirmed that they either knew someone or engage in online dating themselves. Respondents aged between 26-35 years (35 percent) and 18-25 years (32 percent) accounted for the largest proportion of Nigerians in this category and this is agreeable because other secondary data shows that online dating is more common among youths both single and married between ages of 18-35 years[7]. Respondents further revealed that the dating mostly take place on Facebook (72 percent). This is followed by WhatsApp (15 percent), 2go (8 percent) and Badoo (5 percent) amongst other social media platform, dating website and apps. Analysis by age-group revealed that all the respondents (100 percent) aged 61 years and above asserted Facebook and this is due to the increasing cases of online related marriages. In 2013, Forbes magazine reported that 35 percent of married people met online[9]. In addition, respondents (19 percent) aged between 18 – 25 years mostly use the 2go dating app considering its unique features to students. In conclusion, there is no doubt that the social media has turned the world into a global village as 63 percent of Nigerians are on several social media platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp, BBM and Twitter amongst others. The survey also revealed that Whatsapp is the most frequently used social media platform in Nigerian with online dating majorly taking place on Facebook. Online dating has become common with some perceptible effect on social behaviours in Nigeria. Some of the effect has been positive, given that some relationships or marriages in Nigeria may have begun online; nevertheless, an area of concern for many is its effect on existing relationships. It has become an easy platform for a partner to seek outside gratification and to explore new grounds other than their existing partners or spouses; which in turn may be a contributing factor to some broken homes in Nigeria. Please click here for full report. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week of February 15th 2016. 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 3%. 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 The Editor Email: editor@noi-polls.com [1] http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/20/5-facts-about-online-dating/ [2]http://www.techcityng.com/93-of-internet-users-in-nigeria-surf-the-net-via-mobile/ [3]http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/online-dating [4]http://www.forbes.com/sites/martinzwilling/2013/03/01/how-many-more-online-dating-sites-do-we-need/#abd8f9a356e4 [5]http://www.techcityng.com/93-of-internet-users-in-nigeria-surf-the-net-via-mobile/ [6] http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/08/28/men-catch-up-with-women-on-overall-social-media-use/ft_15-08-20_socmedgender_sites/ [7] http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/20/5-facts-about-online-dating/ [8] http://qz.com/611516/more-people-use-facebook-in-nigeria-than-anywhere-else-in-africa/ [9]http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrymagid/2013/06/03/a-third-of-recently-married-couples-met-online-and-theyre-more-satisfied-and-less-likely-to-split-up/#214effd840d0

  • About 8 in 10 Nigerians Express Support For New National ID Card Scheme

    Abuja, Nigeria. September 17th, 2013 – Latest weekly poll results released by NOIPolls has revealed that about 8 in 10 Nigerians have expressed support for the introduction of the new national identification (ID) card scheme, confirming that it is of priority to Nigeria. Also, 60% of those interviewed were of the opinion that the most important benefits of owning the national ID card are that it will serve as a means of identification and proof of citizenship. The poll further revealed that about58% of Nigerians are not aware of the new ID card scheme, indicating the need for more public awareness on the processes and benefits of obtaining the new national ID card, particularly its implications for security, immigration and financial inclusion. These are few key findings from theNational ID Card Snap Poll conducted in the week of September 9th, 2013. Recently, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and MasterCard Incorporated formed a partnership for the purpose of rolling out the new national identity cards in Nigeria as approved by the Federal Government. The new ID card will have 13 applications, including MasterCard’s prepaid payment technology which was introduced to enhance financial inclusion and boost the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The new ID card would serve as a formal electronic payment solution in the country which would in turn enhance security, convenience and reliability of electronic payments through unique National Identification Numbers (NIN) of duly registered persons[1] In line with this, in May 2013 the Nigerian Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and MasterCard used the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town, South Africa as an avenue to roll-out the 13 million MasterCard-branded National Identity Smart Cards with electronic payment capability in order to pilot the new scheme. In the past, several challenges have been associated with the process of obtaining National Identification cards. Thus, the reintroduction of a new national ID scheme by the Federal Government has been embraced with mixed feelings. While some analysts are open to the idea and new innovation, others speculate that it would turn out to be another wasteful endeavour.[2] Against this background, NOIPolls conducted its latest poll on National ID card scheme to gauge the perception of Nigerians regarding the proposed new scheme, and the process of obtaining the national ID card. Respondents to the poll were asked five specific questions. Firstly, in order to measure the awareness of Nigerians on the new national ID card scheme, respondents were asked: Are you aware of the proposed new National Identification card scheme in Nigeria? Findings reveal that overall less than half (42%)are aware of the proposed new scheme, while 58% claim they are not aware of the proposed scheme. Analysing the level of awareness across geo-political zones reveal that the South-South zone (53%) had the highest percentage of Nigerians that are aware of the proposed scheme and the North-West zone (68%) hadthe highest proportion of Nigerians who were not aware of it. Subsequently, in order to determine the number of Nigerians that currently have ID cards, respondents were asked: At present, do you have/have you ever been issued a national ID card? Overall, the majority(62%) responded positively indicating that they had previously been issued national ID cards. On the contrary, about 38% responded negatively. Analyses across the geo-political zones reveal that the South-South zone (73%) accounts for the highest proportion of respondents who currently have the national ID card. This is followed by the South-East and theNorth-West zones with 68% and 65% respectively. Furthermore, the North-Central zone (50%) has the highest number of respondents who claim they do not have the national ID card. Thirdly, in order to gain further insight into their perception of the processes involved in obtaining a National ID card in Nigeria, respondents that claimed they currently possess an ID card (62% of the total), were asked:What is your perception regarding the processes involved in obtaining a national ID card? Overall48% (22%+26%) experienced a certain level of difficulty during the process where 22% claimed they found it “somewhat difficult” and 26% said they found it “very difficult”. Furthermore, 45% (21%+24%) stated the processes involved were easy where 21% claimed they it was “somewhat easy” and 24% stated it was “very easy”. Comparatively, 7% were neutral in their perceptions as they claim it was “neither easy nor difficult” to obtain a national ID card. Perceptions across geo-political zones revealed that while the North-East zone (57%) had the highest number of respondents that say the processes are “very difficult”, the South-West zone (33%) had the highest number of respondents that say the processes involved were “very easy”. Fourthly, in order to gauge the views of Nigerians on the need for new national ID cards respondents were asked:Do you think the proposed new national ID card scheme is a priority to Nigeria now? Responses to this question revealed that the overall majority of those interviewed (80%) expressed their support for the scheme, by stating that the scheme is of priority to Nigeria. On the other hand, 20% were of the opinion that the scheme is not a priority for the country at the moment and therefore do not support it. From the standpoint of geo-political zones, the North-East and the South-East zones had the highest number of respondents that are of the opinion that the new ID card is a priority to Nigeria with 92% and 91%respectively, while the South-West zone (40%) had the highest proportion that are of the opinion that the new ID card is not a priority to Nigeria now. Finally, in order to explore the opinions of Nigerians regarding the benefits of the new ID card scheme respondents were asked: In your opinion, what benefits do you think the proposed new National ID card will bring to Nigerians? Findings revealed that the main benefit of the new ID card as indicated by majority (60%) is that it would serve as a “means of identification as an individual and as a citizen (especially for banking and international travelling purposes)”. Furthermore, 15% claim they “Don’t know/no idea” while 11%are of the opinion that it would “help in security, safety and crime checks”, also 8% claimed it is of “no benefit and not necessary”. Analysis across geo-political zones also revealed that the North-East zone had the highest proportion of respondents that indicated the new ID card would serve as a means of identification as an individual and as a citizen (especially for banking and international travelling purposes). In conclusion, findings from this ID Card snap poll has revealed that while about 58% of Nigerians appear not to be aware of the new proposed national ID card scheme; the vast majority (80%) are still of the opinion that the scheme is of priority to Nigeria, thus affirming their support. According to most of the respondents (60%), the most important benefit of the new national ID cards is that it will serve as a means of identification and proof of citizenship. Further findings revealed that about 6 in 10 (62%) Nigerians claimed to have the old National ID card, and out of these, the majority (48% of 62%) have experienced various levels of difficulty in the processes involved in obtaining an ID card. In view of this, and considering the large Nigerian population (currently estimated population at 174 million), great consideration has to be made in setting up the facilities and procedures for the scheme, in order to improve the efficiency and make the process comparatively easy. Finally, the National ID Card Management Commission (NIMC) needs to engage on more public awareness campaigns on the new ID card scheme and the benefits of registering to obtain an ID card, particularly its implications for security, immigration and financial inclusion. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted from September 9th to 11th 2013. It involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample. 1005 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 3%. NOIPolls Limited is the No.1 for country-specific polling services in West Africa. We work in technical partnership with the Gallup Organisation (USA), to 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 judgement 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 The Editor Email: editor@noi-polls.com [1] www.nigeriacommunicationweek.com.ng [2] www.thenationonlineng.net

  • Celebrating Seven Years of Polling in Nigeria

    Abuja, Nigeria. March 7th, 2014 – NOIPolls Limited, the No. 1 for credible country-specific polling services in Nigeria and West Africa, is delighted to take you today on a journey back into time. This special edition Release celebrates seven years of polling, evaluating and reporting public opinions across all vibrant sectors of the Nigerian economy. Founded in 2006 with a vision to provide a platform that can measure the pulse of Nigerians on a variety of issues, and making our first debut as a pollster on the African continent in February 2007 with our first ever NOI-Gallup National Poll, we have truly come a long way and are mighty proud of our achievements in championing Opinion Research in Nigeria. NOIPolls partnering with Gallup USA (www.gallup.com) to champion opinion research in Nigeria has run its Face-to-Face NOI-Gallup National Poll and its NOIPolls Telephone Snap Poll project since 2007. We have conducted Four National Polls and over a hundred Snap Polls (capturing Nigerian opinions) and various surveys and research assignments on behalf of our clients and partners in Nigeria and across the region in our seven-years of operation. Our Ethos Nigeria currently has a large population of over 160 million, a thriving domestic economy and a decentralized government structure of 36 states, a federal capital territory and 774 local governments; yet, there was no independent polling capability in the country to ensure that the voice of ordinary citizens is heard. NOIPolls was established to fill this gap by championing opinion research in Nigeria. There is also an apparent lack of credible information on public perception across the Country. This lack often hampers decision-making by both businesses and governments. Although there is a large domestic market and an emerging middle class in Nigeria, most businesses operating in the Nigerian environment face the challenge of correctly assessing market demand, consumer patterns & preferences. Similarly, government policy-makers are often unable to ascertain genuine public opinion on important economic or social issues, as well as important government policy changes, reforms or legislative actions. NOIPolls, working in technical partnership with the Gallup Poll (USA), has been at the forefront of addressing this knowledge gap in Nigeria & the West African sub region. NOIPolls focuses on issues such as governance, market trends, management of the economy, provision of services, as well as performance of government and private sector institutions. We believe that the results of NOIPolls’ opinion research will help answer strategic questions in the decision making process. Our Core Competencies and Competitive Advantage Our core competencies are four-fold: Polling, Analytics, Databank Management and Strategic Consulting. Our clientele are drawn from the private, public and third sectors of the economy. Our rich dataset of information has supported their business planning, product/service development, policy advocacy work, policy planning process and most importantly creating timely and relevant interventions in the public space. NOIPolls remains consistent in ensuring its methodology and approaches are in line with global polling standards as adopted from our technical partners Gallup, and adapted to the Nigerian context. We maintain objectivity in reporting of our public opinion poll results and transparency in our field operations. We pride ourselves in ourC.S.I factor advantage: Credibility (the NOIPolls team, our technical partners Gallup, and our founder Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala), Scientific (globally accepted polling standards), and Independence (unbiased reporting of results and surveys, with no external influence). To learn more about the team, our ethos/philosophy and vision, please visit this link www.noi-polls.com/about_us Journey through Time: (A Mix of the National Poll and Snap Polls) A. Private Sector Our BET survey is a much needed information mine, it is a report you can bet on. Banking, Energy andTelecommunications (BET) are three very vibrant sectors in the Nigeria economy; and NOIPolls has been collecting and analyzing consumer opinions, patterns and trends across these three sectors. Examples are shown below: Banking A wide ATM network remains a key service that is important to the Nigerian Customer over a seven year period. It is clear that in order to achieve the CBN’s objectives of financial inclusiveness and innovation, more attention needs to be focused on providing more ATM Networks across the country. Read more on the Banking Report here Energy (Power, Oil & Gas) More Nigerians (30%) up from 15% are no longer willing to pay more for 24 hour electricity, particularly in Q4 2013 as this was the worst quarter for power supply last year. Read more on Power and Oil & Gas polls here. Telecoms From 56% in 2008, now about 8 in 10 Adult Nigerians (81%) own a mobile phone with the age group 30-45 in the majority (88%). This finding corroborates recent publications by Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), which puts teledensity at an average of 85% in 2013 (www.ncc.gov.ng). Read more on our Telecoms Snap Poll here B. Public Sector We focus on sectors that directly affect the Nigerian public; Health, Education, Agriculture & Food Security, etc . Health: We have been polling on various infectious diseases across Nigeria; DIarheaa in Children below 5years, incidence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Malaria/Thyphoid, Incidence of Quack Doctors, Cholera, Health Insurance, Immunization, treatment, prevention etc. HIV/AIDS It is quite shocking to see that 24% of adult Nigerians still believe that HIV/AIDS can be contracted by Witchcraft; and mosquito bites (14%); while 33% believe the virus can be contracted by Deep Kissing (in 2013), showing the crucial need for more enlightenment. Read more on our Health related polls here Job Approval Ratings On Governance, NOIPolls has been evaluating the job approval ratings of Nigerian Presidents since 2007. We have evaluated the performance of Government at Federal, State and Local Govt levels, and polled on issues such as constitution review, revenue allocation formula, national conference etc. The chart above presents 7-year tracking of the job approval ratings of Nigeria presidents between 2007 and 2014. Read more of our polls here. Top Issues for Policy Focus In addition, NOIPolls has been evaluating Nigerians’ opinions on the most important issues that need to be addressed by the President of the Federal Republic. The chart above presents the tracking of the top five issues that have been identified in the last eight polls over a seven-year period (2007 -2014). Remarkably, the top three three issues for policy focus in terms of priority have been Job Creation, Power/Electricity and Security. Other areas include Corruption, Water, Roads, Education and Agriculture. For more information on public sector related polls, click here . C. Third Sector: Polling for development sector interventions, advocacy and policy planning. We focus on supporting international development organisations, Business Membership Organisations (BMOs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and advocacy groups. We help craft fact sheets, policy briefs and technical reports for our clientele. Please read more of our polls here. The security situation as noted in the immediate slide above remains a key issue to be addressed. NOIPolls security poll covering the North-East zone and the Niger Delta region is a must buy. An extractis shown below: Trust in the Police The chart above reveals that over the last 7 years the level of trust that Nigerians have for the Police has experienced ups and downs. However, 3 in 10 Nigerians say they trust the Police in 2013, up from 22% in 2010. Conclusion We are delighted to be at the forefront of reporting the opinions of Nigerians, most especially over a seven-year period showcasing Nigerian opinions over a series of topics; Business, Political, Socio-Cultural, Economic, Legal and Environmental amongst others. Please visit www.noi-polls.com to see all our polls. We look forward to more years of giving voice to Nigerians and supporting decision making across all sectors of the Economy. We remain grateful to all our partners in the media, private, public and third sectors and, to the many thousands of Nigerians who have willingly participated in our polls and surveys, excited at the opportunity to speak on matters concerning the common man. 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 The Editor Email: editor@noi-polls.com

  • Chelsea FC is Nigerians’ Choice To Win The 2013/2014 English Premier League Title

    Abuja, Nigeria. August 20th, 2013 – Latest weekly poll results released by NOI Polls reveal that 89% of football-loving Nigerians follow the English Premier Football League, while 51% follow the Nigerian Premier League. This is an 8-point increase from the 81% followership recording in 2012 of the English Premier League, and a 3-point increase from 48% recording of the followership of the Nigerian Premier league in 2012 when NOI Polls conducted its first Football Snap Poll. Findings also reveal that the two largest supported English Premier League Clubs in Nigeria (in terms of fan base) are Chelsea with 37% fans and Manchester United with33%. These are the key findings from the Football Snap Poll conducted in the week of August 12, 2013. Football has always been a hugely popular sport in Nigeria and remains one of the most recognised sports with several Nigerian players playing for foreign clubs. Our presence on the global front further stimulated public interest in international league football. With the kick-off of the English Premier League on 17th August 2013, excitement amongst fans in Nigeria reached fever pitch causing football analysts and players alike to speculate that the race for the 2013/2014 English premiership title is wide open. Clubs involved have put tremendous efforts to improve their chances of winning the title. NOI Polls conducted its latest poll with a focus on the English and Nigerian Premier Football Leagues to explore followership and perceptions about these leagues. This is the second in the Football Snap Poll series traditionally conducted by NOI Polls at the start of the English Premier League Season. Respondents were initially asked a question that served as a screener to determine if they are football fans or not. Respondents that answered negatively had their interviews terminated at this point. Fans were subsequently asked whether they follow the English Premier League and if they do, which clubs they support. This was followed by questions looking to understand why they follow the clubs they do and the duration they have followed their choice club. Finally, in the segment relating to the English Premier League, respondents were asked which club they felt will win the 2013/2014 season. The second part of the poll deals with questions relating to the Nigerian Football League. Respondents were asked whether they follow the NPL, which club they followed and why they follow their club of choice. Additionally, they were asked why they follow the NPL and in the case of those that do not follow the NPL, reasons why. Finally, respondents were asked what they felt can be done to improve the NPL. English Premier League The second question sought to determine the proportion of football fans that follow the English Premier League:Do you follow the English Premier Football League? Findings show that irrespective of gender, 89% are fans of the English Premier Football league with 90% ofmales and 82% of females claiming to follow the premiership. Further analysis based on geo-political zones shows that the North-West has the highest followership with 92%. Comparing the results obtained from this current poll with those from the 2012 Football Snap Poll reveals that with an 8-point increase in 2013, more Nigerians currently follow the English Premiership than they did in 2012. In response to the question: Which Premier League Club do you support?, we find that Chesea FC is the Premier League Club with the largest fan base claiming 37% of supporters. This is followed by 33% that mentioned Manchester United and 22% that indicated Arsenal FC as the clubs they support. With followerships of 4% and 3% respectively, Liverpool and Manchester City Football Clubs command the least number of supporters in Nigeria. Incidentally, a total of 1% of football fans in Nigeria do not presently support any club even though they follow the English Premiership. When comparing club fanbase according to gender, it is interesting to note that more female respondents (41%) support Manchester United than male respondents (32%) and more male respondents (23%) support Arsenal than female respondents (16%). The distribution of supporters across the geo-poilitical zones shows that the highest support for Chealsea comes from the South-East zone with 45%, whilethe South-South accounted for the highest proportion of respondents supporting Manchester United with 39%, and the South-West the highest supporters for Arsenal with 28%. Comparing current results with the poll conducted in 2012 reveals that the fan base for Chelsea FC increased by7-points (from 30% in 2012 to 37% in 2013). The general perception among respondents was that Chelsea is leading the pack due to three main reasons. (1) The return of it’s former coach “The Special One” Jose Mourinho. (2) The club has had a successful pre-season and; (3) The signing of new players. In addition, support for Manchester United increased by 2-points from 2012 and support for Arsenal increased by 8-points. Interestingly, with 31%, Manchester United had the largest number of supporters in 2012 while in this current poll Chelsea has the largest number with 37%. In order to gain insight into the reasons why Nigerians support their clubs, respondents who follow the English Premiership were asked: Why do you support your club? Responses show that about one third of supporters(34%) support a particular club as a result of the “good playing style and structure of playing as a team of the club”. This is followed by 32% that support their clubs because “they have the best and strongest players”. In addition 11% support particular clubs “because of a particular player”, while 8% support due to the fact that the “clubs are champions or former champions”. Other reasons why people support particular clubs include, “engagement of African/Black players” indicated by 6% and “Because of their coach” indicated by 4%. In order to determine the loyalty of supporters to their clubs, respondents were asked: For how long have you supported your club? Responses show that 29% have supported their clubs for a period of “Between 4-6 years”, followed by 27% who have supported their clubs for “10 years and above”, while 22% claim their support has lasted “Between 7-10 years”. 40% morefemale respondents have supported their clubs for between 4-6 years than 29% of theirmale counterparts while 29% more male respondents have supported their clubs for 10 years and above compared to8% of female respondents. Assessing the duration of support for clubs by respondents revealed that with 36% of responses,the North-Central zone accounts for the highest proportion of respondents who have supported their clubs for 4-6years. With 36% the North-East and the South-South zones both have the highest number of respondents supporting their clubs for 10 years and above. Comparing the results of the duration of support for clubs in 2012 and 2013 shows a 14-points increase in the proportion of respondents that indicated support for their clubs for 10 years and above (13% in 2012 to 27% in 2013) and a 9-points decrease in the respondents that claim they have supported their clubs for 1-3 years.There is also a 2-points decrease in the proportion that indicated between 7-10 years and a 2-points decrease in the proportion that say they have supported their club for less than a year. The sixth question asked respondents: Which Premiership club would you pick to win the 2013/2014 season that is about to start? Findings reveal that the 40% believe Chelsea FC will win the 2013/2014 seasonfollowed by 35% who think Manchester United, 17% Arsenal and 4% Manchester City. These findings are similar to responses for the football clubs fans support and show that respondents mostly selected the football clubs they support to win the 2013/2014 season. From the geo-political zones standpoint, the North-Central zone accounted for 50% of the respondents who selected Chelsea as the preferred winner of the 2013/2014 season, while with 47% the South-East zone has the highest proportion of respondents wanting Manchester United to be the champions. 25% of respondents from the South-West zone pick Arsenal as the champions for this season. Nigerian Football League The seventh question sought to measure the proportion of football fans that follow the Nigerian Premier Football League. Respondents were asked: Do you follow the Nigerian Premier League? Results show that 51% are fans of the Nigerian Premier League. When compared to the 89% of Nigerians who follow the English Premier league this percentage is low. Furthermore, whilst more males (90%) than females (82%) follow the English Premier Football League, the reverse is the case with the Nigerian Premier Football League with a follow-ship of more females (58%) than males (50%). Assessing followership of the Nigerian Premier Football league from geo-political zones indicates that the South-East zonehas the highest proportion of respondents that follow the Nigerian Premier League with a percentage of 69. When current results are compared with 2012 results, there is a 3-point increase in the proportion of football fans that follow the Nigerian Premier league. Respondents that follow the Nigerian Premier League (51% of the total) were then asked: Which Nigerian Premier League Club do you support? Responses show that the Nigerian Premier League club with the most support with 28% is Enyimba FC, followed by Kano Pillars with 21% and Enugu Rangers with 16%. Other clubs supported include Warri Wolves with 5%, Gombe United, Shooting Stars and Dolphins with 3% each. In addition, 6% did not support any clubs even though they follow the Nigerian Premier League. Analysis based on geo-political zones reveals that the highest support of Enyimba FC comes from the North-Central and the South-East zones with 36% each. Also, the North-West zone (54%) has the highest number of respondents with support for Kano Pillars and the South East zone (46%) accounts for the highest proportion of supporters for Enugu Rangers. Comparing current results with the previous poll shows that the fan base for Enyimba has decreased by 6-pointsfrom 34% in 2012 to 28% in 2013. Support for Kano Pillars and Shooting Stars have also decreased by 5-Pointsand 3-points respectively from 2012. On the contrary,Enugu Rangers experienced a considerable 11-pointsincrease in terms of its fan base. Respondents that indicated they follow of the Nigerian Premier League were asked: Why do you follow the Nigerian Premier league? Findings show that 60% follow the Nigerian Premier League “Because it is Nigerian”. Also, 16% mentioned it is “Because of the players” and 12% “Because of the club (indigenous)”. 6% claim they follow because of their “General love for football” while another 6% said “It is the best league in Africa”. In order to gain insight into the reasons why football fans are not interested in the Nigerian Premier League, respondents that indicated they do not follow the Nigerian Premier League (49% of the total) were asked: Why don’t you follow the Nigerian Premier League? Responses show that majority (47%) do not follow the Nigerian Premier League because “It is not interesting”, this is followed by 27% who blame their lack of interest on “Poor playing styles”. 17% claim they do not follow because “Games not shown on TV; low publicity”. Other reasons include“corruption/bias amongst the officials” indicated by 4% and “poor club management; not organised/coordinated” indicated by 3%. Finally, in order to seek the views of respondents on possible ways to improve the Nigerian Premier league, all respondents were asked: In your opinion, what can be done to improve the Nigerian Premier League? 34% suggested “Government’s support for highly improved welfare packages and sponsors” (followed by “Corruption, biasness, tribalism, favouritism in selecting players should be stopped” indicated by 23%. Furthermore, 19% mentioned “Involve good officials and administrators”while 9% each selected “Increase publicity/awareness; show live matches on TV/Satellite” and“Improve the quality of field and stadium facilities”. In conclusion, results from this poll reveal that the English Premier Football League has gained great traction and viewership in Nigeria with 89% followership at the expense of the indigenous Premier League with a fan base of 51%. These results highlight an increase in both Leagues with an 8-point increase in the followership of the English Premier League from 2012 and a 3-point increase in the followership of the Nigerian Premier League. Another interesting discovery is that Nigerians love football irrespective of gender. Findings also reveal that the two largest English Premier League Clubs in Nigeria (in terms of fan base) are Chelsea with 37% of the fan share and Manchester United with 33%. Moreover, 34% have supported their clubs for a period of between 4-7 years. Furthermore, results from the poll show that the two largest Nigerian Premier League clubs (in terms of fan base) are Enyimba FC with 28% and Kano Pillars with 21%. Respondents indict a sense of patriotism by their choice to follow the Nigerian Premier League with 60% following the league “Because it is Nigerian”. Finally, most respondents suggest that “Government’s support for highly improved welfare packages and sponsors” willgreatlyimprove state of the Nigerian Premier League. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted on August 12th to 15th 2013. It involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample. 1009 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 3%. NOI Polls Limited is Nigeria’s leading opinion polling and research organisation, which works in technical partnership with the Gallup Organisation (USA), to 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 NOI Polls 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 NOI Polls be acknowledged as author whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOI Polls 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 NOI Polls 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 NOI Polls’ current findings and/or thinking. Press Contact The Editor Email: editor@noi-polls.com

  • About 8 in 10 Nigerians Observe Children Out of School Each Day

    Abuja, Nigeria. September 8th 2015 – Today marks the celebration of this year’s International Literacy Day. This calls for reflection on the state of the Nigerian educational system, with a special focus on child education; given that about 10.5 million Nigerian children are out of school, according to a report released by UNESCO in 2013 and recently reiterated by the Country Director, United Nations International Children’s Fund, Jean Gough. This recent revelation is supported by a poll conducted by NOIPolls Limited in 2013 which revealed that about 8 in 10 Nigerians (78%) observe children out of school in their localities each day. Also, the poll revealed that almost 6 in 10 (57%) Nigerians supported the claim made by UNESCO that Nigeria has the highest number of children out of school. Children out of school are school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school[1]. The UNESCO Education for All Global Monitoring Report released in June 2013 states that Nigeria holds the world record of having the highest number of its young people out of school. With approximately 10.5 million kids out of school, Nigeria tops the table of 12 other countries with which it accounts for 47 per cent of the global out-of-school population. Forty per cent of Nigerian children aged 6-11 do not attend any primary school with the Northern region recording the lowest school attendance rate in the country, particularly for girls. Despite a significant increase in net enrollment rates in recent years, it is estimated that about 4.7 million children of primary school age are still not in school[2]. The compulsory, free Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act was passed into law in 2004 and represents the Government’s strategy to fight illiteracy and extend basic education opportunities to all children in the country. However the number of schools, facilities and teachers available for basic education remain inadequate for the eligible number of children and youths; this is more pronounced in urban areas. It is not rare to see 100 pupils per teacher in some public schools. Under these conditions, teaching and learning cannot be effective; hence the outcomes are usually below expectation. Against this background, NOI Polls conducted its recent “Public Education” Snap Poll to seek the views of Nigerians regarding Out-of school-Children, and their opinions of possible remedies to addressing the issue of out-of-school children. Respondents to the poll were asked five specific questions. The first question sought the opinion of Nigerians regarding the recent claim made by UNESCO. Respondents were asked: To what extent do you agree or disagree with UNESCO’s claim that Nigeria has the highest number of children out of school? The overall majority (57%; 22%+37%) agree with the claim that Nigeria has the highest number of children out of school. Furthermore, 30% (2%+28%) of the respondents are not in agreement with this assertion, while 13% are neutral since they neither agree nor disagree with UNESCO’s claim. When the results are analyzed according to geo-political zones, the North-Central zone accounted for the highest proportion of respondents (38%) that strongly agree with the claim made by UNESCO that Nigeria has the highest number of children out of school. This is followed by the South-West and the South-South with 25% and 24% respectively. In addition, The North-West zone had the highest number of respondents (43%) that agree with the claim and the North-East zone accounted for the highest proportion of respondents (38%) that disagree with the assertion. Subsequently, to verify this claim, respondents were asked: Personally, during the course of your day, do you normally see children out of school in your locality? In response to this question, the overall majority (78%) confirmed that in their various localities, they usually see children out of school during the course of the day. Comparatively only 22% of the respondents answered negatively to seeing children out of school in their localities. From the geo-political zones perspective, the North-West zone and North-East zones both had the same and highest proportions of respondents (83%) who are positive to seeing children out of school in their localities during the course of the day. This is followed by the North-Central zone with 79% and the South-South zone with 77%. In addition, the South-East zone accounted for the highest number of respondents (30%) that answered negatively to seeing children that should be in school on the streets in their various localities. Furthermore, in order to gain insight on the number of children seen out of school, respondents who claimed to see children out of school in their localities (78% of the total) were further asked: On a typical day, approximately how many children do you see out of school in your locality? The findings are shocking, as majority (28%) of respondents claimed they see about 6 to 10 children out of school on a typical day. This is closely followed by 26% that claim to observe about 11 to 20 children out of school each day. Furthermore, 20% of the respondents stated that they observe less than 5 children, 15% say more than 30 children, and 11% claim about 21 to 30 children are seen out of school in their respective neighborhoods. Further analysis across geo-political zones shows that while the South-East zone had the highest proportion of respondents (41%) that confirmed seeing between 6 to 10 children that are not in school within their localities, it also accounted for the highest proportion of respondents (30%) that see less than 5 children on the streets. The North-East zone had the highest proportion of respondents (47%) that confirmed seeing between 11 to 20 children out of school. Furthermore, the North-West zone accounted for the highest proportion of respondents (26%) that see more than 30 children out of school and the North-Central zone had the highest proportion of respondents (26%) that see between 21 to 30 children on the streets instead of in school. These findings are alarming and they call for urgent attention. The fourth question sought the views of Nigerians regarding the current state of the public educational system:In your opinion, how would you rate the public education system in Nigeria?The overall majority 45% (43% + 2%) rated the Nigerian educational system good, compared with 35% (24% +11%) who rated the educational system as poor. Furthermore, 20% are neutral rating the Nigerian educational system neither good nor poor. From the geo-political standpoint, the findings show that the North-East zone accounted for the highest proportion of respondents (70%) that rate the Nigerian educational system as good. While the North-West zone had the highest proportion of respondents (40%) that say the educational system is poor, the South-South zone accounted for the highest proportion of respondents (19%) that says the educational system is very poor. Finally, in order seek public opinion on how the Nigerian educational system can be improved, respondents were asked: What suggestions do you have to reform the public education system and keep more Nigerian children in school? The overall majority (37%) suggested that in order to improve the Nigerian educational system and reduce the number of children out of school, government should “provide free education system”. In addition, 30% of respondents were of the opinion that steps should be taken to “employ qualified teachers and motivate them”. Some other respondents (19%) suggested that “Government should equip the schools”, while 10% think “Government should build more schools”. Also 3% suggested that more public awareness be created on the importance of education. In conclusion, the results from this current poll have revealed that the majority of Nigerians (57%) support the claim by UNESCO that Nigeria has the highest number of children out of school. This is particularly evident considering the fact that the overall majority (78%) witness children out of school during the course of a normal day. Furthermore, the majority of respondents claimed to see as many as 6 to 10 children who should be in school hanging around their locality during school hours. However, the slight majority (45%) gave a good rating to the Public Education system in Nigeria even though there is obviously room for improvement considering the number of children currently out of school. Suggestions to improve the public education system include the provision of free education, the employment & motivation of qualified teachers, building & equipping more schools, as well as creating more public enlightenment on the importance of education. Finally, these findings call for urgent attention in the public education sector. Considering the significance of education in the economic growth and development of any nation, urgent measures need be taken to reform the public education system in Nigeria, and to keep more children in school. After all Children are said to be the leaders of tomorrow. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted on June 18th to 20th 2013. It involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample. 1,010 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 3%. NOIPolls Limited is No.1 for country specific polling services in Nigeria and West-Africa, conducting periodic scientific 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 The Editor Email: editor@noi-polls.com [1] World Bank [2] UNICEF Nigeria website

  • Almost 3 in 10 Nigerians know a victim of Domestic Violence; Financial issues and Lack of Communicat

    Abuja, Nigeria. November 24th, 2015 – 25th November 2015 marks this year’s ‘International Day for the Eradication of Violence against Women’ with theme ‘Prevent Violence against Women’. Each year, November 25th is an occasion to raise public awareness on violence against women, serving as an opportunity for governments, international organizations, NGOs and women’s activists to organize activities and campaigns designed to discourage violence against women in its various forms. According to United Nations reports, One in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence; mostly by an intimate partner [1]. In Nigeria, Traditionally, domestic violence is committed against the female gender in the commonest forms of rape, acid attack, molestation, assault and corporal punishment. In many cases, victims of marital violence remain passive or accept this abuse due to beliefs that it is part of the culture or socially acceptable and they would have to bear with it. However, the recent passage of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) bill into law in May 2015 has brought some Joy and hope to vulnerable persons, especially women and girls who are usually the victims of abuse and domestic violence. The VAPP provides a legislative and legal framework for the prevention of all forms of violence against vulnerable persons, also prohibits economic abuse, forced isolation and separation from family and friends, substance attack, depriving persons of their liberty, incest, indecent exposure, among others. It also intends to eliminate violence in private and public life and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims of violence, and punishment of offenders [2]. As part of its contribution towards the addressing of the issue of Violence against women in Nigeria, NOIPolls has conducted several surveys on the issue of domestic violence. Key highlights of these polls are revisited in this press release as a call for reflection, in commemoration of the 2015 International Day for the Eradication of Violence against Women. Excerpts of Findings from NOIPolls Marriage and Domestic Violence Poll: In 2012, NOIPolls conducted a snap poll that focused on Marriage and Domestic Violence which sought to understand the perception of Nigerians on marriage and factors responsible for domestic abuse. Poll results showed that while at least 1 in 10 respondents (13%) had been a victim of domestic violence in the past, 29% of respondents knew someone who had been a victim of domestic abuse and violence. Furthermore, the survey also sought to establish the main causes of conflicts in marriages. The results showed that 40% and 31% of the respondents believe that ‘Financial Issues’ and the ‘Lack of Communication’, respectively, are the main causes of conflicts in marriages. Also 6% of the respondent chose ‘Lack of Understanding’ and 3% ‘interference from In-laws’. Interestingly, only 2% each chose the ‘presence or lack of children’, ‘Lack of Sex’, ‘Infidelity’, and ‘Lies & Distrust’. 1% of the respondents also suggested that conflicts arise when ‘Love no longer exists’ In response to the question of why there is increased domestic violence in the society, 6 in 10 Nigerians (60%) ascribed the recent increase in domestic violence to ‘poverty’. The respondents suggested that poverty has led many people into frustration and anger, and at the slightest provocation, people resort to violence as a means of expressing their frustration with their poor situation. Furthermore, 16% and 12% of the respondents were of the opinion that it was because ‘Love no longer exists’, and the ‘growing Insensitivity’, respectively. Interestingly, only 1% of the respondents ascribed the increase in domestic violence to ‘Unemployment’. Survey Methods Results are based on a nationwide telephone survey of 2,189 phone-owning adults, aged 18 and older, and conducted from the 16th – 20th April 2012. For results based on this sample size, we can say with 95% confidence that the margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points. The margin of error reflects the influencing of data weighting, while question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys may introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls. 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 The Editor Email: editor@noi-polls.com [1] http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/multimedia/2015/11/infographic-violence-against-women [2] http://www.nsrp-nigeria.org/2015/05/25/president-jonathan-passes-violence-against-persons-prohibition-bill-into-law/

  • April 2010 Snap Poll: President Yar Adua: ‘Act Decisively’, Nigerians Tell Federal Executive Cou

    President Yar Adua left Nigeria for treatment abroad on November 23rd, 2009 and has not been seen in public since then; even though he is said to have returned to the country on February 24th of this year. As a result of the perceived power vacuum created by his absence, the vice-president Goodluck Jonathan was made the Acting President of the country by the National Assembly on February 9, 2010. While the appointment of the Acting President generated both positive and negative responses from the citizenry, many Nigerians have argued for a more permanent solution to the political uncertainties generated by Yar Adua’s illness. Specifically, there have been calls for the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to declare the president incapacitated as provisioned for by section 144 of the Nigerian Constitution. In a recent survey of the general population conducted by NOI Polls, 72% of respondents questioned in our survey answered ‘yes’ to the question “Should the Federal Executive Council take steps to declare President Yar Adua incapable of performing his duties?”. 11% of respondents said ‘no’ while 17% either refused or were unable to answer the question. The findings of this survey indicate that Nigerians want a lasting solution to the political concerns generated by President Yar Adua’s ill health. Survey Methods. Respondents for the snap poll were randomly selected from a database of phone-owning Nigerians aged 15 and above, compiled by NOI Polls. 2,058 people took part in the telephone interviews from the 8th and 14th of March, 2010. For a sample of this size, we can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±2.2 percentage points. The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

  • Almost 5 in 10 Nigerians Cite Poverty as Main Cause of Child Labour in Nigeria

    Abuja, Nigeria. December, 2016 –Latest public opinion poll results released by NOIPolls Limited have revealed that majority (45 percent) of Nigerians surveyed, disclosed that poverty is the most significant root cause of child labour in Nigeria. The persistent increase in the level of poverty in Nigeria has led to a continuous decline in the economic wellbeing of the Nigerian households[1], which subsequently increases the intensity of child labour in the country. Therefore, as a way to supplement family income, some households force their children to engage in diverse jobs to make more income. Subsequently, 19 percent blamed the incidence of child labour on parental neglect while 8 percent mentioned the high cost of education as the cause of child labour. Though education is important because it gives people the baseline skills to survive as adults in the world, the poll results has revealed that less thoughtfulness has been given to education in recent times as a large majority of 67 percent of respondents polled, affirmed that they have seen out-of-school children in their locality within the last 3 months. In addition, 72 percent of Nigerians stated that they have seen children involved in tedious jobs and 70 percent of this proportion reported that they see children engaged mostly in street hawking, domestic work (23 percent) and street begging (15 percent) among other menial jobs. These sightings occur at times when these children should be in school, further affirming that the incidence of poverty and child labour are unavoidably linked together and also implying that education is becoming less and less important to households. To eradicate the prevalence of child labour in the country, highest percentage (41 percent) of the respondents recommended that free education should be encouraged to combat its high costs. The need for the policy makers to give priority to formulating and implementing policies that will reduce child labour in the country cannot be over-emphasized. Priority must also be given to national educational programs such as children’s education and adult literacy campaigns to increase school enrolment of children in general and specifically for the rural residents. The government should also ensure that the children are enrolled into primary and secondary schools by providing free and compulsory basic education. Finally, this report has shown that child labour tends to have a negative effects on household welfare as it not only prevents children from benefiting fully from baseline skill sets acquired in school, it also affects their emotional, physical and mental health, probably condemning them to a life of crime, perpetual poverty and low wage employment in their adulthood. Therefore, increasing children’s access to education is a fundamental strategy for ending child labour, and in other to reduce the multiplier effects of the incidence of child labour in Nigeria, legal instruments meant to protect children should be legislated and duly enforced. These were some of the key findings from the Child Labour Poll conducted in the week of November 28th, 2016. Brief Background When children that are yet to get to the age of consent are engaged in any form of work that denies them their childhood rights, deprives them of opportunities for schooling and development, which tends to affect their mental, physical, social or moral existence, it is referred to as child labour. Despite several legislative measures, child labour has remained a major source of concern globally generally and particularly in Nigeria. There are many factors that contribute to the occurrence of child labour in the country, however, the major causes are cultural and religious practices, widespread poverty, rapid urbanization, unemployment, inappropriate and poor quality of apprenticeship schemes, large family size due to multiple births or lack of family planning, effect of HIV/AIDS causing an increase in orphans and vulnerable children. The International Labour Organization estimated the total number of working children in Nigeria as 15 million. This presents a tough challenge in our society because these children are subjected to tedious jobs in unsafe conditions at very paltry wages which is exploitative and injurious to their physical, social and moral development. The prevalence of child labour in Nigeria has been high over the years and each geo-political zone has its peculiarity. Child labour is so common in the country that it has been acknowledged by many as part of normal life. The Almajiri system in the North was borne out of cultural and religious beliefs but has been upheld to be exploitative to the children. In the East through to the South-South zone, the apprenticeship schemes have been gotten wrong over time, children are seen dropping out of school, especially boys, to work as apprentices towards the learning of a trade and they end up suffering the double burden of housework for their pay masters. The engagement of trafficked children in all sorts of social vices like child prostitution and domestic helps has also overwhelmed the South-Western zone of the country; street hawking is also very rampant there because traditionally, children have worked with their families, but today children are forced to work for their own and their family’s survival.[2] Child work and child labour are often confused with each other, while child work comprises of involving children safely in household and occupational activities as a way of moderately socializing them in the norms, traditions and set skills necessary for their effective adjustment to life, child labour makes children, especially girls, work in domestic service, sometimes starting as young as 5 or 6. They suffer from fatigue because they are exposed to long hours of work in dangerous and unhealthy environments; they also suffer irregular attendance at school, lack of comprehension and motivation, improper socialization, exposure to risk of physical and emotional abuse and the high likelihood of being involved in crime. Research also shows that majority of child workers display poor educational achievements. The practice is also an abnormality which takes away the innocence of millions of children and it is a threat to the future of any given country in the long run.[3] Although there have been intense efforts to lessen the pervasiveness of child labour, the successes recorded have been very minimal due to many challenges such as the lack of a coherent National Policy on the elimination of child labour. Many international Non-Governmental Agencies and the ones within the country have stood up against child labour but their efforts seems to yield no results as children under the age of 14 are still seen working across Nigeria in hazardous conditions with little food, little pay, no education or medical care. Many of these children carry too much responsibility for their age and this establishes a cycle of child rights violation. In view of this, NOIPolls conducted a survey on child labour in Nigeria to ascertain its cause, the extent of its effect and the possible solution to reduce it to the barest minimum. Survey Findings In 2015, the United Nation’s International Children’s Fund’s country director, Jean Gough, disclosed that no fewer than 10.5 million Nigerian children are out of school. She advocated for synergy with UNICEF and some other parties to reduce the number of out-of-school children.[4] Similarly, this survey results revealed that 67 percent of Nigerians reported seeing out-of-school children in their locality and the North-East zone with 80 percent accounted for the largest proportion of Nigerians who asserted to this. Also, respondents between 18 – 35 years have the largest fraction (72 percent) in this regard, possibly because they are also on the streets. Aside the activities of the insurgents in that zone, whose campaign has been centered on abominating and subsequent eradication of western education, majority of the schools destroyed are yet to be rebuilt and those that are ready have zero or low attendance due to the fear of being attacked. On the other hand, 33 percent said they have not seen any out-of-school children within the last 3 months and the respondents from the South-Western zone had the majority (54 percent) which may signify high school patronage due to peace and stability in the area. Out of the 67 percent who acknowledged seeing out-of-school children in their locality within the last 3 months, 48 percent disclosed that they always seen them around. While 27 percent stated that they see them sometimes, 17 percent mentioned seeing them very often. This indicates that not much attention is given to education in some part of the country either due to the inability of parents to pay their children’s school fees owing to poverty or that the children chose education as the least on their priority due to bad orientation. Subsequently, irrespective of those who have seen out-of-school children, the larger proportion of Nigerians confirmed that they have personally seen children engaged in physical labour or jobs in their locality and residents from the North-West accounted for the highest percentage of Nigerians in this category with 78%. On the contrary, 28 percent indicated that they have not personally noticed such incidents.Trend analysis shows a significant 14-points decrease in the number of respondents who witnessed such incidence in 2013 than in 2016 and this clearly indicates the possibility of awareness created by international agencies and a promising acceptability that children are not supposed to be involved in any form of work that will be too dangerous to their wellbeing. Furthermore, the survey also revealed that most respondents (70 percent) cited street hawking as the job most out of school children engage in and the South-South zone presents as the largest proportion of respondents in this section (84 percent). This is followed by 23 percent who mentioned domestic work while 15 percent mentioned street begging and most of the respondents in this group are from the North-East zone which further buttresses the issue of unemployment and hunger as a result of the peril of the Boko Haram insurgency in the zone. Others include; cargo loading (13 percent), bus conductor (7 percent), construction site labourers (7 percent) and family business (6 percent) amongst other menial jobs. Trend analysis clearly revealed a 2-points increase in the number of Nigerians who cited street hawking when comparing the current result with that obtained in 2013. Also, while domestic work decreased by 2-points, street begging drastically decreased by 16-points in 2016. In ascertaining the views of Nigerians on what they think could be responsible for the incidence of child labour in Nigeria; responses revealed that a majority of respondents (45 percent) blamed it on poverty. During the course of this survey, most of the respondents revealed that some poor households adopt child labour as one of the strategies for improving their economic wellbeing and it is inevitable due to high level of market imperfections in Nigeria. Additionally, 19 percent disclosed that parental neglect has caused high prevalence of child labour. The quest for supplementing the family income especially in the cases of large families informs child labour as reported by 14 percent of the respondents interviewed. It is also worthy to note that 12 percent mentioned high cost of education inferring that the parents that are financially incapacitated to pay for their children’s school fees, are at risk of exposing such children to all forms of child labour to avoid being idle or to pay for their fees by themselves. Other mentions include Illiteracy (9 percent) and high birth rate (5 percent) among others.Comparing the current findings with that obtained in 2013 reveals a massive 27-points decrease in the number of Nigerians who mentioned poverty. Similarly, there was a huge 14-points increase in the percentage of Nigerians who thinks parental neglect is the main reason for child labour. Lastly, the survey revealed that free education topped the lists of suggestions given by majority (41 percent) of the respondents surveyed and residents from the North-East zone (51 percent) accounted for the largest proportion of Nigerians who advocated for free education. During the course of this survey, respondents disclosed that due to the poverty level, parents in the rural areas find it difficult to pay their children’s school fees and transport fare to the schools since majority of the schools in the areas are always far from their dwelling places. Also, 20 percent of the respondents mentioned job creation and the South-South zone had the highest percentage (25 percent) of respondents in this category. In addition, 11 percent was of the opinion that parents should be enlightened on birth control measures to curtail number of children born without adequate and proper care. While some stated that government should improve the economy (10 percent), others advocated for more awareness on the effects of child labour (9 percent) among other suggestions. Comparing current survey result with that obtained in 2013 has revealed a significant 7-points increase in the proportion of Nigerians who are advocating for free education as a way of reducing child labour in the country. This implies that observers have a perception that if education is given freely to households, especially the poor, there would be less incidence of child labour in the country. In conclusion, recent poll results revealed that 45 percent of Nigerians are of the opinion that poverty is the major reason for the prevalence of child labour in Nigeria. The report also showed that 67 percent of Nigerians have seen out-of-school children in their locality within the last 3 months while the majority (72 percent) attested to the fact that they normally see children engage in physical labour or jobs to make ends meet. Therefore, this survey has revealed that children work mainly due to poverty; hence, poverty reduction is one of the keys to reducing child labor. Financial sector reforms and specific micro-finance programs should target the poor in rural areas especially women, youth and the unemployed as this would go a long way to reduce poverty and the number of children that engage in tedious jobs to augment their family income and in turn eradicate child labour in our society. There have been several explanations of the theoretical and empirical justification of the positive relationship that exists between household poverty and child labor in developing countries; one of them is the notion that the children’s income augments the family earnings.​ In summary, it was observed 41 percent of the respondents have recommended that, for child labour to be eradicated, free education needs to be encouraged. The government should provide some compensation to poor parents for sending their children to school by means of bursary or other ways that would make education cheap, as some parents are too poor and can’t afford the fees and attendant transportation costs to send needed to enroll their wards in schools. Survey Method The opinion poll was conducted in the week of November 28th 2016. 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 3%. 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 DisclaimerThis 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 The Editor Email: editor@noi-polls.com [1] http://dailypost.ng/2016/09/05/nigeria-one-poorest-countries-world-80m-living-poverty-line-un-report/ [2] http://ilo.org/ipec/facts/lang–en/index.htm [3] https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/children_1935.html [4] http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/188590-10-5m-children-out-of-school-in-nigeria-unicef.html

  • Almost 8 in 10 Nigerians Favour Continuity of the NYSC Scheme

    Abuja, Nigeria. June 3, 2013 – Latest weekly poll results released by NOI Polls Limited has revealed that almost 8 in 10 Nigerians (78%) favour the continuity of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, and have expressed their views against its abolishment. Most Nigerians believe that, barring security challenges in some areas, the NYSC scheme provides youths the opportunity to gain work experience, engenders national unity, allows for cultural integration, aids economic development, and helps to boost the educational sector, especially in rural areas. However, there are mixed reactions regarding the general welfare of Youth Corpers. These are few of the key findings from the recent NYSC Poll conducted in the week of May 27th 2013. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) recently marked 40 years of its establishment. The scheme was created in May 1973 in a bid to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country, after the Nigerian Civil War[1]. Its vision was to mobilise Nigerian Youths with the spirit of selfless service in order to contribute their own quota of development in various communities of the country. Also, it was initiated to enhance unity of all Nigerians, notwithstanding social, cultural and religious differences. In recent times, the scheme has been faced several challenges, which have raised questions regarding the true contribution and continuity of the scheme. The general welfare of NYSC members has been one major issue that has raised concerns in the past years; with more recent insecurity experienced by corps members serving in certain volatile regions. These have generated mixed feelings and stirred up concerns by various stakeholders calling a review of the scheme, some groups calling for the outright abolition of the scheme. Speaking at the 2013 annual NYSC Management Conference that held in Sokoto state on May 15, 2013, the Minister of Youth Development Alhaji Inuwa Abdul-Kadir announced that the Nigerian government is committed to reforming the NYSC scheme to ensure that it contributes adequately to development in the country and national unity. His comments were necessitated by concerns voiced by Nigerians over insecurity in various parts of the country which has affected corpers in their states of primary assignment. In his speech the Minister advised that despite the challenges facing the scheme it has delivered on its mandates with visible results and has also integrated Nigerian youth from diverse backgrounds. Against this background, NOI Polls conducted its latest poll on the NYSC scheme in order to ascertain the views of Nigerians regarding the contribution of the scheme to nation development and provide some evidence to highlight their perceptions regarding continuity of the scheme. Respondents to the poll were asked five specific questions. The first question sought to determine the level of awareness about the NYSC scheme among Nigerians: Are you aware of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Scheme? Overwhelmingly, all of the respondents (100%) from the six geo-political zones are aware of the NYSC scheme. This finding affirms the general level of awareness regarding the scheme across the country. The second question sought to ascertain the opinions of Nigerians regarding the impact the NYSC scheme has made on the country’s development. Respondents were asked: To what extent has the NYSC scheme impacted on the country’s development? In response to this question, the overall majority (84%) suggested that the NYSC scheme has contributed positively to the country’s development; with 54% stating that it has impacted the country’s development “to some extent” and 30% stating that it has contributed “to a great extent”. However, while 9% of respondents were not sure of the impact of the scheme, a paltry 8% suggested that the scheme has not impacted on the country’s development in any way. In addition, when the results were analysed according to geo-political zones, the North-East zone accounts for the highest proportion of respondents that say the scheme has impacted the country to a great extent (46%). Comparatively, the South-West has the highest proportion of respondents (12%) who suggest that the scheme has not impacted Nigeria in any way. Subsequently, respondents were asked: How would you rate the general welfare of Youth Corpers? The responses provide mixed reactions from respondents regarding the welfare of Youth Corpers. On the one hand, majority of respondents 42% (35% + 7%) are of the opinion that the general welfare of Youth Corpers is “Good”. On the contrary, 34% (26% + 8%) suggest that the welfare of Youth Corpers is “Poor”. Looking across geo-political zones, the North-East zone accounts for the highest proportion of respondents (15%) that say the welfare of Youth Corpers is good (53% overall), while the South-West accounted for the highest proportion of respondents (14%) that say the welfare of Youth Corpers is very poor. Furthermore, respondents were asked the question: To what extent do you agree or disagree that the NYSC scheme be abolished? The results show that almost 8 in 10 Nigerians (78%: 54% + 24%) favour the continuity of the NYSC scheme; as 54% disagree and 24% strongly disagree that the scheme be abolished. On the other hand, 20% (10% + 10%) of the respondents agree scheme be abolished. Only 3% of the total sample remained neutral as to whether the scheme should be abolished or not. When the results are analyzed across geo-political zones, the North-East accounts for the highest proportion of respondents (69%) that are against the abolishment of the scheme. This finding lends credence to previous finding in question 2 above, where the North-East zone also accounts for the highest proportion of respondents (46%) that suggest the NYSC scheme has contributed to the nation’s development to a great extent. Finally, respondents were further probed on the reasons why they either agree or disagree that the NYSC scheme be abolished: Why do you agree/disagree that the NYSC Scheme be abolished? On one hand, amongst the majority of respondents that indicated support for the continuity of the NYSC scheme (78% of the total), 33% suggested that the scheme should not be abolished because it “Serves as a work experience & employment opportunity”. This was followed by 26% of respondents who were of the opinion that the scheme “Engenders national unity and allows for Cultural Integration” and 24% who suggested that “It aids Economic development of the country”. In addition, a further 14% suggested that the scheme “Helps to boost the educational sector (especially in rural areas)” and 7% who stated that it “Imbibes the spirit of selfless service”. These findings provide evidence to support the statement made recently by the Minister of Youth Development, Alhaji Inuwa Abdul-Kadir, that irrespective of the challenges facing the scheme, it has delivered on its mandates with visible results and has also provided the platform for cultural integration of Nigerian youths from diverse backgrounds. On the other hand, amongst the minority respondents that indicated support for abolishing the NYSC scheme (20% of the total), 46% of them stated that the scheme be abolished because of “Insecurity in the country (Especially in the North)”. This was followed by 15% who suggested that “the scheme is a waste of time and resources”, and 14% who stated that “the aim of the NYSC scheme has been defeated”. Other reasons for the suggested abolition of the scheme include: “It makes no contribution to youth development” (12%) and “Poor welfare of youth corpers” (7%) In summary, the results from this current poll results have revealed that almost 8 in 10 Nigerians (74%) disagree that the NYSC scheme be abolished due to its immense contribution towards the country’s development. Moreover the scheme provides youths the opportunity to gain work experience, engenders national unity, allows for cultural integration, aids economic development, and helps to boost the educational sector, especially in rural areas. However the results show that 20% of respondents support the abolition of the scheme due to insecurity in parts of the country, it’s considered a waste of resources and poor welfare of corps members amongst others. In conclusion, the poll has provided clear evidence to support the continued existence of the NYSC scheme. However, careful consideration ought to be given to the issues identified as reasons why some stakeholders are advocating for the abolition of the scheme. In particular, the management of NYSC should give careful consideration to issues bordering on security to avoid posting corps members to volatile regions and subsequent placements to hot spots. The general welfare of youth corpers should also be improved, with training focus on areas such as entrepreneurship and small business management as part of the service curriculum. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted from May 27th to 30th 2013. It involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample. 1,006 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 3%. NOI Polls Limited is Nigeria’s leading opinion polling and research organisation, which works in technical partnership with the Gallup Organisation (USA), to 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 NOI Polls 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 NOI Polls be acknowledged as author whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOI Polls 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 NOI Polls 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 NOI Polls’ current findings and/or thinking. Press Contact The Editor Email: editor@noi-polls.com [1] NYSC Website

  • Celebrating the Creative Industries: The Nollywood Phenomenon

    October 3, 2012. The Nigerian film industry has become one of the principal forces of popular art on the continent. Colloquially known as “Nollywood, it has over the years grown to be a world phenomenon, ranking third in the global movie industry in terms of revenue and value after Hollywood (USA) and Bollywood (India). The production of the now classic “Living in Bondage” by Mr Kenneth Nnebue was as response to the lack of quality productions in the local television stations due to budget cuts and mismanagement. That movie sold hundreds of thousands of copies and established Nollywood’s standard theme: Marital Discord, Greed, A Conflict between Christianity and Juju. Indeed, from these accidental origins, a cultural phenomenon emerged. The Nollywood film industry has evolved a lot since these humble beginnings and as these days, normal films are usually made on budgets ranging from 1.5 million naira to 2.5 million naira spanning 7 to 10 days. The film industry accounts for 5 per cent of GDP and 11 per cent of non-oil exports[2] and is the country’s second largest employer after agriculture.[3] The most popular locations to shoot movies are Lagos, Enugu, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt. In 2009, about 75% of Nigerian films were produced in local languages, such as Yoruba (55%), Hausa (16%), Bini (3%) and Igbo (1%)[4]. As imperfect as it may seem, Nigeria’s film industry has established itself as a major cultural and economic force in Nigeria and the rest of Africa, and its impact goes beyond what could be measured by numbers. At present, Nollywood is second only to Bollywood in terms of the number of film productions[5]. Against this background, NOI Polls, an opinion polling and research organization, conducted a nationwide poll to establish the level of interest of the average Nigerian towards Nollywood, their reasons for this cultural phenomenon and suggestion about how the quality can be improved. Methodology The opinion poll was conducted from August 7th to 9th. It involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample. 1,176 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 3% of what they would have been if the entire population had been surveyed. The questionnaire was designed in English and the survey was conducted in English, Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, and Pidgin, to ensure coverage of relevant geographical and demographic groups. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used for data entry and analysis. Descriptive statistics, mainly frequencies and percentage distribution, charts (pie, component and bar) and cross tabulations were used in data analysis. Demographic Distribution of Respondents Only 34% of females completed the survey, compared with 66% of males who did. Majority of respondents (54%) interviewed were resident in the South-West geopolitical zone, followed by 15% in the South-East, 14% resident in the North-Central and 12% in the South-South. The North-West had 3%, while the North-East had 2% only. In addition, majority of respondents were aged 18 – 21 (69%) and 22- 29 (37%). 9% of the respondents were aged 46-60, while 7% were aged 18-21. Also a large percentage of respondents were income earners as compared to students who were 20%. Findings Avid Nollywood Movie fans An overwhelming majority (98%) of the respondents interviewed responded affirmatively on watching Nollywood movies whilst only 2% said they do not watch Nollywood movies. Movies preferred to watch Most respondents (40%) prefer watching movies with a comedy theme as compared to 39% who prefer to watch movies with a drama theme, 14% of the respondents prefer romance movies whilst 2% prefer horror and a period piece. Attraction to the Nollywood movies Respondents were asked for the main factor that attracts then to watch certain Nollywood movies. The vast majority (56%) said they are attracted to watch films because of the actor or actress involved. A further 34% said they are attracted by the storyline and 6% by the director Nollywood movie ratings The majority of respondents (48%) said they currently rate Nigerian movies as good while 31% rate them average. This is followed by 17% that rated them very good, only 2% rated Nollywood films as poor. Areas Nollywood Movies could improve on When asked for the area where Nollywood movies could improve on, the majority (48%) by far said it is the storyline. This is followed by 19% who said the production/picture quality and 17% who said the acting could be improved on. 8% of the respondents said costume while 5% said soundtrack respectively. Conclusion Results from the snap poll indicate that Nollywood films are very popular among Nigerians since 98% of the respondents surveyed acknowledged that they watch them. Results also show that comedy (40%) and drama (39%) are the most preferred genres of film in Nigeria followed by romance (14%). The major factor that attracts people to watch certain films is the Actor/Actress involved. This clearly shows that casting the right actor/actress in a Nollywood is a key success factor. Even though the majority (48%) rate Nigerian films as good, the majority also agree that the main area films have to improve on is their storyline. In addition, our poll found that the most favourite Nollywood actors in Nigeria are Nkem Owoh, Emeka Ike and Jim Iyke (all tied at 20%); while the most favourite Nollywood actresses are Genevieve Nnaji (20%), Mercy Johnson (19%) and Omotola Jolade Ekehinde (17%). Also, only 25% of the respondents interviewed watch movies at the cinemas; the key reason why 75% do not go to cinemas is because they can buy the DVD and just watch it at home. This is in line with findings from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics that shows that the majority of Nollywood films go directly to DVD and Nigeria only has 0.4 cinema screens to 100,000 people However, most respondents (44%) would go to a cinema to watch a Nollywood movie as compared to 37% who would go to watch a Hollywood movie. This is an interesting statistic and should be noted by cinema owners across the Nation. Click here to Download full report

  • Almost half of the Nigerian population cannot access clean water

    Abuja, Nigeria. February 25, 2013 – Latest weekly poll results released by NOI Polls has revealed that access to clean water remains a major challenge to almost half of the populace (47%). In addition, 83% of Nigerians source their drinking water privately, while only about 1 in 10 respondents (9%) are connected to the public sewerage system. These were the three key findings from the Access to Clean Water Snap poll done in the week of February 18th 2013. The Nigerian government in January 2011 launched the ‘water road-map’, a blueprint that describes the government’s objectives in developing the nation’s water resources between 2011 and 2015. The plan includes the promise that 75% of Nigerians will have access to clean water by 2015. Increasing access to safe drinking water is a key millennium development goal (MDG). Lack of access to water leads to a high prevalence of waterborne diseases, and all over the world, approximately 3 million children under five years old die yearly from diarrheal illnesses, mostly acquired from contaminated water. With the just concluded Presidential Summit on Water which held between the 18th and 19th of February 2013, NOI Polls sought the opinion of Nigerians regarding access to water and sanitary facilities. It is our hope that the results of this snap poll will contribute to the discourse of providing increasing access of water to Nigerians. The NOI Polls survey asked people five specific questions. The first question sought to establish the source of drinking water in households. Respondents were asked: How do you currently get drinking water at home? Results indicate that the majority (27%) by a slight margin currently drink sachet water commonly referred to as ‘pure water’. Another 25% get drinking water at home from private boreholes, and 19% drink bottled, packaged water. Other sources are the Water board/Government (11%), public bore holes (6%) and private wells (5%). These results show that the majority of people in Nigeria (83% overall) source their drinking water privately, as opposed to depending on the State. The safety of these sources of water is questionable, particularly ‘pure water’ of which its treatment and subsequent sale is still a major point of contention between NAFDAC and the manufacturers. This result contradicts the claims of Nigeria’s Ministry of Water Resources, which stated that 58% of the country’s population has access to safe drinking water as provided by the Government. Respondents were subsequently asked: Is access to clean water a challenge to you and your household? A slight majority (53%) responded negatively, showing that access to clean water is not a challenge. The remaining 47% of respondents surveyed stated that access to clean water is indeed a challenge to them and their households. When responses are further analyzed across geo political zones, access to clean water is a greater challenge in the North East and North West than in other geo political zones in Nigeria. This is in line with an assertion made by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that the water problem is particularly acute in the rural Northern Nigeria; where only about 30% of the population has access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. Respondents who stated that access to clean water is a challenge to them and their households (47% of the total) were further asked: To what extent is the access to clean water a challenge to your household? Results indicate that the slight majority overall (33%) say access to clean water is a challenge to a very large extent. This is closely followed by respondents who state that it is a challenge to a large extent and to a little extent (31% each). A meager 6% said it is a challenge to a very little extent. Once again, analyzing across geo-political zones shows that the challenge is most pronounced in the North West since it has the highest proportion of respondents (41%) who state that it is a challenge to a very large extent. Also, the North East has the highest proportion of respondents who state that access to clean water is a challenge to a very little extent. This is interesting since the North East had a high proportion of respondents who said access to water is a challenge in response to the previous question, thus indicating a probable less challenge there than in the North West. Next, respondents were asked: What type of sanitation facilities (toilet) do you currently have at your home? The overwhelming majority (79%) stated that they have toilets connected to private septic tanks. This is followed by 11% who use pit latrines, and 9% who claim they have toilets connected to public sewerage. Viewing results across geo-political zones, the Southern regions and North-Central have the highest proportion of respondents with toilets connected to private septic tanks. Also, the North-Central and South-West have the highest proportion of respondents that have toilets connected to public sewerage; which is in line with previous findings by UNDP that mostly Abuja and limited areas of Lagos have public sewerage system. The North-East has the highest proportion of respondents who use a pit latrine for their sanitation (48%) followed by the North-West with 33%. Finally, respondents were asked: Are you aware of any water and sanitation-related projects going on in your locality? The majority (88%) answered “No” indicating that they are not aware of any water and sanitation projects in their locality. Only 10% of the respondents said they are aware of water and sanitation projects going on in their locality. In conclusion, results highlights that access to clean water and sanitation remains a major challenge for most Nigerians, but more pronounced in the North-West and North-East regions of the country. Also in spite of several projects currently being undertaken by development partners and multilateral organisations such as UNICEF, USAID, WaterAid, UNDP and World Bank, there is very low awareness of such projects among Nigerians. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted on February 18th to 19th 2013. It involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample. 1,072 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%. NOI Polls Limited is Nigeria’s leading opinion polling and research organisation, which works in technical partnership with the Gallup Organisation (USA), to 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 NOI Polls 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 NOI Polls be acknowledged as author whenever our poll results are used, cited or published. NOI Polls 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 NOI Polls 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 NOI Polls’ current findings and/or thinking. Press Contact The Editor Email: editor@noi-polls.com

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