Search Results

Abuja, Nigeria. January 30th, 2018. The NOIPolls Personal Well-Being Index (PWBI) report for Q4, 2017 revealed a nominal increase of 0.2-point to stand at 64.3-points from 64.1-points obtained in Q3, 2017. The Personal Well-Being Index measures the satisfaction of Nigerians with respect to various aspects of lives. There are seven components that make up the PWBI and they all experienced an increase except the Economic Index and the Personal Standard of Living Index which both experienced a decline when compared to the results obtained in Q3, 2017. Though the nation’s economy got out of recession in Q2, 2017 and also grew in Q3, 2017[1], Nigerians are yet to feel the impact of this growth in terms of their personal economy and standard of living as these were the only indicators that experienced a decline in Q4, 2017 amongst all the components that make up the PWBI. These are the key highlights from the Q4, 2017 Personal Well-Being Index survey. In February 2014, NOIPolls Limited introduced its portfolio of indices; the NOIPolls Personal Well-Being Index (PWBI), the NOIPolls Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) and the NOIPolls Eagle 30 Business Confidence Index (EBCI). The NOIPolls Personal Well-Being Index measures factors impacting on the lives of everyday Nigerians; thereby producing a complete view of the individual’s personal well-being. The NOIPolls Consumer Confidence Index provides consumer assessments of the economic situation and their intentions and expectations for the future. The NOIPolls Eagle 30 Business Confidence Index measures business leaders’ perceptions and expectations about the Nigerian business environment using the top 30 companies in the country. Nigerian businesses, financial and government agencies largely depend on the perceptions and micro assessment of consumers’ expectation in making decisions. At best, they draw conclusions on the business environment based on information from their immediate surroundings while the minorities conduct surveys that are time and money consuming. However, the introduction of these indices provides indicators that will ensure stakeholders can detect and respond to changes in consumer behaviour, the economy, and the business environment in Nigeria. This report presents the Q4, 2017 results for the NOIPolls Personal Well Being Index (PWBI). THE NOIPOLLS PERSONAL WELL-BEING INDEX (PWBI) Results obtained in Q4, 2017 revealed that Nigerians were somewhat satisfied with their Personal Well-Being at 64.4-points. Furthermore, an analysis of the seven key indicators that make up the PWBI showed that Nigerians were satisfied in terms of religion (89.4-points), social interaction (79.4-points), physical health (76.4-points) and personal security (67.8-points). Also, the findings indicated that Nigerians were rather neutral in terms of their standard of living (49.2-points) and achievement in life (53.1-points) indices while some Nigerians were not satisfied with their personal economic situation (37-points) index. These seven (7) key indicators that comprise of the PWBI are highlighted in the chart below; The 7 key indicators that comprise of the PWBI are highlighted below; Personal Standard of Living Index – 49.2 The Personal Standard of Living Index decreased by 0.8-point in Q4, 2017 from the 50.1-points obtained in Q3, 2017 to stand at 49.2-points. This indicates that Nigerians were somewhat neutral about their standard of living. Personal Health index – 76.4 This index witnessed an increase of 1.1-point to stand at 76.4-points in Q4, 2017 compared to 75.2-points obtained in Q3, 2017 and is indicative of a satisfaction in the personal health of Nigerians in Q4, 2017. Personal Achievement Index – 53.1 This index also increased marginally by 0.1-point to stand at 53.1-points, indicating a neutral stance in the level of satisfaction in their personal achievements in Q4, 2017. Personal Security Index – 67.8 The personal security index also increased from 65.7-points in Q3, 2017 to 67.8-points in Q4, 2017 representing the highest increase of 2.1-points. Personal Social Interaction Index – 79.4 This index experienced an increase of 1.9-point to stand at 79.4-points in Q4, 2017. This represents an existing bond amongst Nigerians which is displayed in their satisfaction with their social interactions notwithstanding the diversity in ethnicity. Personal Religion Index – 89.4 The Personal Religion Index also gained momentum as it increased by 1.1-points to stand at 89.4-points in Q4, 2017 from 88.4-points obtained in Q3, 2017. Economic Index – 37.0 The Economic Index, experienced the highest decrease of 3.75-points to stand at 37-points in Q4, 2017 from 40.8-points of Q3, 2017. The decline suffered by this index and it consistently being the lowest ranked index is also a clear indication that Nigerians are dissatisfied with their economic situation. TREND ANALYSIS Trend analysis of the results obtained from the Q4, 2017 PWBI revealed that all the seven key indicators that constitute the PWBI increased except for the Personal Standard of Living Index and the Economic Index experienced a decline. Additionally, the quarter-on-quarter analysis showed that the NOIPolls PWBI experienced a marginal increase of 0.2-point to stand 64.3-points in Q4, 2017 when compared to 64.1-points of Q3, 2017. In conclusion, the Q4, 2017 NOIPolls PWBI results have revealed a marginal increase of 0.2 point from the previous quarter to stand at 64.3 points. Also, five out of the seven indicators that make up the PWBI experienced an increase except the Personal Standard of Living and the Economic Indexes, which experienced a decline. Therefore, since the components that made up the PWBI is currently the only multi-dimensional scale measuring satisfaction of life, stakeholders, especially those in the Economic Advisory Board must embark on various in-depth studies of each of the components whose findings will form the basis of formulating great economic policies that would improve the well-being of Nigerians. This is because majority of the seven indicators are significantly related to the overall quality of life of an individual, except for the Personal Religion Index, in some cases. Therefore, the conceptual basis of the NOIPolls PWBI can be used to design a multidimensional index for wellbeing that meets a global framework standard for life satisfaction. Survey Methods The Personal Well Being Index Poll was conducted in Quarter 4, 2017. The PWBI involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample. 3,000 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, 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 and you can download our mobile app NOIPolls on your smartphone. 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 or thinking. Press Contact The Editor Email: editor@noi-polls.com [1] https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/09/05/finally-nigeria-exits-recession-reports-0-55-gdp-growth-in-q2/

Abuja, Nigeria. January 23rd, 2018 – The NOIPolls Consumer Confident Index (CCI) report for Q4, 2017 revealed that the CCI increased by 3-points to stand at 70.5-points compared to Q3, 2017 where it stood at 67.5-points. This shows a perceived increase in the level of confidence of consumers on the state of the economy which is mostly communicated through saving and spending patterns. This further increase in the CCI in Quarter 4, 2017, could be attributed to the increase in economic activities usually experienced towards the end of the year thus, translating to a slight growth in the economy. Additionally, available data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for Q4, 2017 suggests that the economic recovery remains largely on track as the Purchasing Manager’s Index signalled a healthy growth in November, 2017. [1] Similarly, the two independent variables that make up the CCI; the Present Situation Index (PSI) and the Expectation Index (EI) both experienced an increase. The PSI experienced an increase of 6.4-points to stand at 50.6 in Q4, 2017; the EI also experienced a minimal increase of 0.9-point to stand at 85.5-points. These are the key highlights from the Q4, 2017 Consumer Confidence Index Survey. In February 2014, NOIPolls Limited introduced its portfolio of indices; the NOIPolls Personal Well-Being Index (PWBI), the NOIPolls Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) and the NOIPolls Eagle 30 Business Confidence Index (EBCI). The NOIPolls Personal Well-Being Index measures factors impacting on the lives of everyday Nigerians; thereby producing a complete view of the individual’s personal well-being. The NOIPolls Consumer Confidence Index provides consumer assessments of the economic situation and their intentions and expectations for the future. The NOIPolls Eagle 30 Business Confidence Index measures business leaders’ perceptions and expectations about the Nigerian business environment using the top 30 companies in the country. Nigerian businesses, financial and government agencies largely depend on their perceptions and micro assessment of consumers’ expectation in making decisions. At best, they draw conclusion on the business environment based on information from their immediate surroundings while the minorities conduct surveys that are time and money consuming. However, the introduction of these indices provides indicators that will ensure stakeholders can detect and respond to changes in consumer behaviour, the economy, and the business environment in Nigeria. This report presents the Q4, 2017 results for the NOIPolls Consumer Confidence Index (CCI). THE NOIPOLLS CONSUMER CONFIDENCE INDEX (CCI) The NOIPolls Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) in Q4, 2017 experienced an increase of 3-points to stand at 70.5-points, maintaining a steady rise from the 2.7-points increase in Q3, 2017. This means that an increase in the propensity to spend among the citizens may have catalysed economic activities within the period. There are two variables that make up the NOIPolls Consumer Confidence Index; the Present Situation Index (PSI) and the Expectation Index (EI). The Present Situation Index which shows how consumers feel about their current financial situation compared with 1 month ago, experienced an increase of 6.4-points in Q4 2017 to stand at 50.6 when compared to the figure (44.2-points) obtained in Q3, 2017. This represented an increase in the purchasing power within the period in view. The Expectation Index is based on consumers’ perceptions of their future (3 months) financial situation as well as their economic outlook for the country and this index slightly increased by 0.9-points in Q4, 2017. There are 7 variables that comprise the PSI and EI and they all experienced an increase except for the Expected Total Family Income index which experienced a marginal decrease of 0.4-points. These are highlighted below; Current Economic Situation Index- 49.6 The Current Economic Situation Index increased by 3-points in Q4, 2017 to stand at 49.6-points compared to the result obtained in Q3, 2017. Expectation of the Country’s Economic Situation Index – 95.5 This index also increased by 2-points from 93.5 in Q3, 2017 to 95.5 in Q4 2017, signifying that consumers are hopeful about the country’s economic situation. Current Employment Condition Index – 61.6 The Current Employment Situation overview showed that the index improved from the 54.6 obtained in Q3, 2017 to 61.6-points in Q4, 2017, representing a 7-point increase in the current economic situation index. Expected Employment Condition Index – 98.8 This Index slightly increased by 0.8-point to stand at 98.8-points in Q4, 2017. Current Prices of Goods and Services Index – 40.5 The Current Prices of Goods and Services Index experienced the highest increase of 8.9-points in Q4, 2017 to stand at 40.5-points from the 31.6-points obtained in Q3, 2017. The steady increase in this index in 2017 may imply that consumers perceived a reduction in certain prices of goods and services in the country. Expectation of Prices of Goods and Services Index – 82.7 The Expectation of Prices of Goods and Services Index marginally increased by 0.8-points to stand at 82.7-points in Q4, 2017, meaning that there is a high anticipation among consumers for future reduction in the prices of goods and services. Expected Total Family Income Index – 64.9 The Expected Total Family Income Index further declined by 0.4-point to stand at 64.9-points in Q4, 2017 signifying that expectations regarding households’ future financial income declined. TREND ANALYSIS Trend analysis revealed that the PSI increased by 6.4-points to stand at 50.6-points in Q4, 2017, while the EI also increased by 0.9-point to stand at 85.5-points in Q4, 2017. These are the two independent variables that make up the CCI and their variances are the main determinants of the overall outcome of the CCI. In conclusion, the NOIPolls Consumer Confidence Index increased by 3-points to stand at 70.5-points in Q4, 2017. As such, it is highly recommended that both local, international and prospective investors pay close attention to these findings, as they serve as leading indicators for the overall economy. When consumers are confident of their futures, their propensity to spend increases which in turn drives higher economic growth, however, if consumers aren’t confident, they tend to save rather than spend and perhaps constrain economic growth. The CCI is an extremely important leading indicator for investors given its ability to predict consumer-spending patterns. These spending patterns can be useful predictors for everything ranging from gross domestic product (GDP) growth to the effectiveness of monetary policies in combating low unemployment and inflation. The CCI however, is a lagging indicator as the survey doesn’t say what is going to happen, but what has already happened and if it can be expected to continue therefore, investors are also advised to apply caution as the CCI can change at the time of the release of this report. SURVEY METHOD The Consumer Confidence Index Poll was conducted in Quarter 4, 2017. The CCI involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample. 3,000 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, 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 or you can download our mobile app NOIPolls from your smart phone. 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] https://www.focus-economics.com/countries/nigeria[1] https://www.focus-economics.com/countries/nigeria

Abuja, Nigeria. January 17th, 2018 – A new report released by NOIPolls on the assessment of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that Nigerians have scored the exercise 57 percent, indicating an average assessment. The poll which consisted of a mix of telephone and on-the-ground face-to-face interviews at registration centres further revealed that about 8 in 10 (81 percent) fresh registrants say they have experienced some challenges at registration centres such as: Long Queues (35 percent), Distance to Registration Centres (25 percent), Inadequate Computer Systems (19 percent), Late arrival of INEC Officials (16 percent); Poor Communication Skills of INEC Officials (11 percent), and Inadequate Personnel (7 percent) to mention a few. Interestingly, the on-the-ground face-to-face assessment of the exercise gave enumerators the opportunity to observe and hear directly from prospective registrants, who complained of having to wake up as early as 3:00 am to visit registration centres and still experience difficulty registering due to long queues and the sheer number of people coming out to register. In some specific instances, out of over 200 names on an attendance list at a centre, only about 30 prospective registrants get registered daily due to inadequacy of INEC officials and computer systems. The poll found that most registration centres had only a single laptop computer, which had the capacity to register about 30 to 40 people daily without technical disruptions. These are the key highlights from the recent poll conducted to assess the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise by INEC. The poll was conducted in the week commencing January, 29th 2018. Brief Background Prequel to the forthcoming general elections in 2019, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the 27th of April 2017 announced the commencement of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. This is in pursuance to the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) which mandates the Commission to carry out CVR nationwide[1]. Recently, there has been various campaigns by Nigerians regarding voters’ registration and a vast number of people are seen at the designated centers for the CVR exercise to either register or apply for the transfer of their permanent voter’s card / polling unit. The Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said that the commission had 74 million voters in its register by the second week of January 2019[2]. This figure indicates that more persons need to be registered before the general elections. Consequently, INEC approved and announced the creation of 10 additional CVR centers in each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory[3]. Despite the newly created centers, there are still complaints about the inability of the centers to handle the number of unregistered voters who spend a whole day waiting to be registered. In light of these, NOIPolls conducted a poll to gauge the perceptions and level of participation of Nigerians regarding the CVR exercise in preparation for the 2019 general elections. Poll Findings Firstly, the poll sought to assess the level of awareness on the ongoing continuous voter registration exercise nationwide. The result revealed that 68 percent of respondents are aware of the ongoing exercise, while 32 percent said they were unaware of the exercise. These findings therefore portray a relative level of awareness across the nation, considering that figures above 50 percent were generally recorded across all geo-political zones; although awareness seemed highest in the North-East (83 percent) and North-Central (74 percent). Poll results revealed that the registration centres available for prospective registrants are not situated within their vicinities as our analysis showed that only 44 per cent of respondents affirmed that they have registration centres around their neighbourhood. To buttress this, Daily Trust online platform reported that some eligible registrants made a plea for registration centres to be sited close to their domains[4]. Conversely, 56 percent said they do not have any registration centres close to their locality. This obviously can go a long way in restricting citizens from exercising their civic rights, especially in the South-West and the South-East zones where only 32 and 37 percent, respectively, showed awareness of registration centres close to their localities. Although, INEC mentioned that it has a rotation plan for some Registration Centres to rotate within the Registration Areas (Ward) in each of the local government areas, there is a need to expedite this process. In order to gain more insight on the ongoing continuous voter registration excercise, respondents nationwide were asked if they had been to any INEC registration centre recently and results revealed that 76 percent, which formed the majority, claimed that they had not visited the centre recently. This category of respondents may have already been registered prior to the current exercise, may not be aware of the exercise or may be aware but not willing to participate in the exercise due to the various challenges highlighted above. On the other hand, 24 percent claimed they had visited the centres recently and further analysis by geo-political zone showed that the North-East (31 percent) and the North-Central (30 percent) had the highest number of respondents in this category. According to age group, respondents aged 18-35 years are more likely to have visited a registeration centre recently. The respondents who have visited the registration centres gave a broader perspective of their rationale for recent visits to a registration centre. The largest proportion, 74 percent, claimed they went there for the purpose of a fresh registration. Also, respondents aged 18 – 35 accounted for the largest proportion of respondents in this category. This is no surprise considering that some respondents in this age group were previously not eligible to vote during the last election due to their age. In addition, the North-Central zone, with 86 percent representation, had the largest share of respondents who went for fresh registration. Other reasons for recent visits to registration centres include ‘Collection of PVC’ (9 percent), ‘Retrieving of lost PVC/TVC’ (5 percent) and for ‘General enquiry’ (4 percent) amongst other reasons. In the same manner, a larger proportion (77 percent) of respondents who participated in the face-to-face interviews within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) also attested that they went there for fresh registration. This was followed in a far distance by 9 percent who said they went there for transfer of PVC and 7 percent for collection of PVC, amongst others. Furthermore, the proportion (74 percent) that went for fresh registration were asked if they got their Temporary Voters Card (TVC) instantly and results revealed that 66 percent affirmed that they got it immediately while 34 percent were unable to get the TVC at the point of registration. On number of visit to registration centres, findings revealed that majority of the respondents (52 percent) visited registration centres more than once before achieving their aim while 11 percent of the respondent sadly could not register or transfer their PVCs/TVCs even after visiting the centres severally. On the other hand, 37 percent claimed that they were able to achieve their aim on the first visit. Furthermore, results obtained from the face-to-face poll revealed that around the 6 Area Councils of the FCT showed that a larger proportion of the respondents (62 percent) visited INEC registration centres more than once and 17 percent did not achieve their aim. Additionally, more findings revealed that most registrants spent between 1 to 6 hours at the registration centres before they got registered. The poll results revealed clearly that about 8 in 10 respondents (81 percent) who have recently visited a registration centre for fresh registration affirmed that they faced some challenges with the process; with significant proportions based in the South-South (93 percent) and North-West (87 percent). Similarly, results from the face-to-face interviews conducted in the FCT showed that 78 percent of the registrants are also facing various challenges in some registration centres. Consequently, the poll results showed that ‘long queue’ was the major challenge as stated by 35 percent of the respondents that who said they have faced difficulties at the registration centres. This further buttresses the fact that majority of the centres are overcrowded. Another challenge stated was that ‘registration centres are far from registrant’s locality’ (25 percent) and ‘limited equipment at the centres’ (19 percent). These factors are also capable of limiting the number of registrants attended to by the INEC officials on a daily basis. Other challenges mentioned include; ‘late arrival of INEC officials’ (16 percent) and ‘INEC officials lack communication skills’ (11 percent) amongst other challenges. Likewise, the face-to-face poll conducted across INEC centres in the FCT also revealed that prospective registrants mostly lamented long queues (42 percent), inadequate and malfunctioning computer systems, inadequate registration centres and lack of coordination amongst other challenges. In terms of rating the continuous voter registration exercise, Nigerians scored the exercise 57 percent signifying an avergae assessment. The results also revealed a low level of awareness on Polling Units transfer from initial location of registration as majority (77 percent) of the respondents are unaware of the process. Only 23 percent affirmed that they are aware of this process, hence, there is a need for a massive enlightenment in this regard. The results also revealed a low level of awareness on Polling Units transfer from initial location of registration as majority (77 percent) of the respondents are unaware of the process. Only 23 percent affirmed that they are aware of this process, hence, there is a need for a massive enlightenment in this regard. Furthermore, out of the 23 percent that cited that they are aware of the transfer of Polling Unit, slightly more than half (53 percent) of the respondents in this category claimed they are fully knowledgeable of the process involved. Across the geopolitical zones, the North-East region has the largest percentage (82 per cent) of Nigerians who understand the transfer process. On the other hand, 40 percent claimed they do not understand the process at all, while 7 percent said they do not really understand the process. In terms of recommendation, most respondents (34 percent) want INEC to embark on grass root sensitization so as to enable more Nigerians participate in the on-going voters’ registration exercise. This is closely followed by respondents who believe that more INEC registration centres should be created across all LGAs in the country as well as hiring more staff to fasten the process. Finally, analysis of the face-to-face poll revealed that 28 percent of the registrants stated that INEC should provide more functional computers. In clearer terms, according to the experiences gathered during the course of the fieldwork, INEC should provide better data capturing machines, with adequate provision for charging the systems. Furthermore, the analysis showed that 26 percent of respondents suggested that INEC should create more registration centres across local government areas and this could be as a result of the dearth of registration centres across the nation. Additionally, 25 percent of respondents polled stated that INEC should recruit more staff and they should be properly trained amongst other recommendation. Respondents in this category are of the opinion that registration centres are currently under staffed when compared to the number of registrants that besiege most centres on a daily basis and they suggested that staff should be trained to be polite and friendly. In conclusion, the poll has revealed that prospective voters are faced with series of challenges at registration centres across the country and for the exercise to experience some improvements, INEC should immediately commence arrangements to reorganize, decentralize and make the continuous voter registration process more flexible, less cumbersome and accessible to qualified citizens. On voters’ education, a large proportion of Nigerians (77 percent) are not aware that they can transfer their polling unit from where they initially registered to their current location. Therefore, INEC should pay more attention to voters’ education aimed at creating awareness on the provisions contained in the Electoral Act, particularly as it concerns voters who do not have the required information. Also, while all stakeholders must join hands in conducting voters’ education across the states and the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs), INEC and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) should work with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to drive the process of enlightening citizens, particularly those in the rural areas, on the electoral processes and the Continuous Voters’ Registration Exercise as this report revealed that 32 percent are unaware of the ongoing exercise. On electronic improvement, 3 percent of registrants have recommended that INEC should allow citizens register anywhere irrespective of where they live and another 3 percent suggested that e-registration be made available to ease the frustratingly long queues currently been experienced at some registration centres nationwide. Finally, INEC needs to urgently increase the number of computer systems and officials allocated to registration centres nationwide. There’s need for proper mapping of registration centres in order to identify those with heavy traffic and reallocate needed resources to such centres. Polling Methodology The Poll was conducted in the week commencing January 29th, 2018. 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%. In addition, a face-to-face poll was conducted with a sample size of 720 registrants across 12 registration centres in the 6 Area Councils in the FCT. It’s important to note that convenience sampling was adopted to select respondents at the 12 registration centres in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT). 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 or download our mobile app NOIPolls on your smartphone. 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 polled 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.inecnigeria.org/?inecnews=nationwide-continuous-voter-registration-exercise [2]http://dailypost.ng/2018/01/19/2019-election-inec-reveals-number-registered-voters/ [3]https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/251080-inec-creates-10-new-continuous-voters-registration-centres-state-fct.html [4] https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/shelve-your-visit-or-face-law-police-warn-kwankwaso.html

Abuja, Nigeria. January 16th, 2018 – The New Year poll report released by NOIPolls has revealed that most Nigerians want the government to mainly focus its attention on Job creation (39 percent), Security (34 percent), Economy (30 percent) and Power supply (30 percent) amongst other sectors of the economy in 2018. This comes as no surprise considering the challenges Nigerians faced in these areas in 2017 and previous years. For instance, unemployment in Nigeria has continued to rise and according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report on “Unemployment and Under Employment” from 1st quarter to 3rd quarter 2017’’ released on Friday 23rd of December 2017 in Abuja, unemployment rates rose from 14.2 percent in the 4th quarter of 2016 to 16.2 percent in 2nd quarter 2017 and 18.8 percent in the 3rd quarter, 2017.[1] In addition, many businesses regardless of the size suffered shrinkages in 2017 which affected their productivity and profitability due to the economic recession and this further translated to job losses.[2] Regarding security, the nation has witnessed drastic internal security challenges such as communal, religious, political and socio-economic clashes with varying degrees of casualties, killing and displacing a number of people. For instance, the most recent crisis between herdsmen and farmers occurred in some local government areas in Benue state which claimed about 70 lives and destroyed properties, leaving many people displaced from their homes. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the review of our national security policy and strategy to accommodate new dimensions of various security challenges in Nigeria. Similarly, on power, there has been an outcry for revival of the sector over several decades. Though the country’s power generation was at its peak of 5,152 megawatts (MW) in December 2017,[3] it was still not adequate considering the country’s population. This calls for the need for more work to be done in the sector as this, in the long run will lead to empowerment for more Nigerians through various means; ranging from domestic level and the cottage industries, through the small-scale and medium industries to employment in the large-scale manufacturing complexes. Thus translating to the much desired economic growth and stability for Nigerians. Moreover, amidst these key areas of concern for the nation, about a third of the adult Nigerians population (33 percent) have great aspirations of starting up new businesses in 2018. Therefore, the federal government and concerned stakeholders must place high priority on ensuring that challenges surrounding these areas are resolved to foster national development. Finally, considering the high rates of unemployment and job losses in 2017, job creation has become pertinent as it is required to increase financial security and promote higher standards of living, which will result in increased spending thereby stimulating economic activities and also bringing down poverty and crime rates. Therefore, government must harness every opportunity to create an enabling environment for job creation. One of the better ways to achieve this is to make good use of the consolidated gains from the Economic Recovery and Growth Programme (ERGP) and also to sustain the tempo of the revenues generated from the reformed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). These would go a long way in creating an attractive and enabling environment for foreign investors, local business start-ups and entrepreneurs which would not only better the economy but also create employment for the masses.  These are the key highlights from the New Year poll conducted in the week commencing January, 8th 2018. Brief Background In the beginning of every year, many individuals and organizations map out their growth, development, strategic and financial plan for the year, even nations are not left out as they chart the course for their national development. People make resolutions with the hope to better their previous years, socially, economically and spiritually. In essence, individuals and even organizations use the New Year day or the first day of work, as the case may be, to make plans with the hope of realizing improved quality of life and better dividends from their businesses in the months to follow. Therefore, for many people, the New Year is the time of aiming towards a transformation in many aspects of life endeavour. In the light of this, NOIPolls conducted this poll to understand the goals Nigerians set for themselves as well as the 3 key areas Nigerians expect the present administration to focus its attention on in the next 12 months. Survey Findings The survey results revealed that majority (33 percent) of the respondents indicated that they would love to start up a new business or expand their businesses for those who already have businesses. The reason for this is not farfetched, unemployment rate skyrocketed in 2017[4] coupled with the hard lessons Nigerians learnt during the 2017 recession; a lot of Nigerians have now realized that there is need to have alternative means of income. The result also portrayed that some Nigerians are either not employed or are not satisfied with their present state of employment as 19 percent disclosed that their goal for 2018 is getting a job or to have a change of job. Furthermore, 14 percent stated that they desire to build their own house this year. Other mentions include furthering education / improving grades at school (11 percent) and better standard of living (7 percent) amongst others. Trend analysis showed that in 2017, majority (37 percent) of Nigerians indicated that their top priority was career advancement, while in 2018, attention was shifted towards starting / expanding their businesses as 33 percent made it their main goal for this year. It is thought-provoking to note that despite showing interest in starting a business, a lot of Nigerians still place importance on education. This is because in 2017, 12 percent said that they would want to further their education while in 2018, it slightly declined to 11 percent revealing a 1-point decrease. Subsequently, findings showed that a higher percentage (39 percent) of Nigerians want the government to focus its attention towards creating more jobs in 2018. In the same manner, 34 percent expect the government to do more to better secure the lives and properties of citizens. This was followed by 30 percent who mentioned power and economy each. Other areas that Nigerians want the government to focus its attention on in 2018 include ‘Education’ (22 percent), ‘Agriculture’ (19 percent), ‘Infrastructure’ (18 percent) and ‘Reduction in fuel price’ (17 percent) amongst others. In conclusion, the poll revealed that majority of Nigerians expect the government to focus on job creation (39 percent) and Security (34 percent) in 2018 whereas, 33 percent set a personal goal of starting or expanding their businesses in this new year. There are some positive indicators that the year would be better, for example, the rise in international price of oil, expected higher tax revenues for government from Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS), the Nigerian Customs Service and the country’s agricultural sector. Therefore, the government must ensure that these positive economic indices translate to higher quality of life for the average Nigerian. Additionally, it is pertinent to put an end to the various security challenges that we currently face in our society, as any nation where security is breached will suffer an economic crisis due to unstable commercial activities and render it unattractive to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Additionally, the diverse security challenges in the country could be attributed to having a direct relationship with the poor quality of governance, hence, all security issues can be decimated if all the tiers of government commit to people oriented policies and strict implementation of such. Survey Methods The Poll was conducted in the week commencing January 8th, 2018. 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, 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 and you can also download our Mobile App NOIPolls on your smartphone. 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]https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/12/nigerias-unemployment-rate-rises-14-2-18-8/ [2] https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/story/172358.html [3] https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/12/17/power-generation-hits-highest-levels-this-month/ [4] https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/06/unemployment-inches-14-2-q4-nbs/

Abuja, Nigeria. January 9th, 2018 – Without doubt, security is an enabler of national development so there can be no sustainable development without peace and security hence the strategic nature of security is constantly evolving. From the terror strikes in the North-East to the herdsmen and farmers conflicts in the North-Central to militants operating in the South-South, the challenge of security is a national issue and no region in Nigeria is insulated. The tension between herdsmen and farming communities has been in existence for years, but has seen dramatic escalation in recent times. For instance, the most recent attacks occurred on New Year’s Eve in Guma and Logo government areas of Benue State which involved the loss of about 50 lives and several properties as well as the displacement of people.[1] Herdsmen and farmers conflict in Nigeria is a land resource based conflict particularly in the North-Central region of Nigeria. Herders and farmers are in constant violent conflict over herdsmen’s increased need for access to grazing lands against the expansion of farmland by farmers. A past poll which highlighted the views and perceptions of Nigerians regarding the conflict between farmers and herdsmen revealed that 25 percent of the respondents confirmed knowing people who have been directly affected by the crisis. This could be either through loss of lives and properties, displacement of people, loss of livelihoods and economic destabilisation. Conflict is an aspect of life that is very often avoided for the fear of loss of lives and properties. The opinions of Nigerians regarding the level of satisfaction on how government has been handling the crisis revealed that half (50 percent) of the respondents surveyed were dissatisfied with the government’s handling of these conflicts. This supports the report by Government Advancement Initiative for Nigeria (GAIN) which revealed that 79 Percent of Nigerians rated the government’s handling of the recurrent clashes between herdsmen and farmers as generally poor. Also, it is worthy to note that the North-Central zone accounted for the highest number of Nigerians who specifically mentioned that they were dissatisfied with government’s handling of the crisis. This is no surprise considering the huge negative impact of these conflicts on the inhabitants of affected areas and across the nation as a whole. For instance, media reports estimate the number of deaths from such conflicts to be over 5000 from 2016 to 2017 and over $17 billion lost in properties within the same period.[2] In conclusion, a significant proportion of Nigerians have been directly or indirectly affected by the series of conflicts between herdsmen and farmers both in the past and in recent times. Also, there is a high level of dissatisfaction in the manner the government has been handling the crisis between the herdsmen and some farming communities in Nigeria. Thus, there is an urgent need for government and other stakeholders to adopt both short and long-term approaches in resolving the clashes. In the short term, there is need to strengthen security arrangements for herders and farming communities especially in the north-central zone in order to maintain operational readiness. There is also the need for effective communication and collaboration between the Join Task Force (JTF) and the local authorities, local vigilante groups and the citizens of the troubled areas in order to synergise efforts through useful information sharing to enhance community watch. Also, the Federal government should strengthen conflict mediation, resolution, reconciliation and peacebuilding mechanisms at state and local government levels, and even within rural communities particularly in areas that have been most affected by conflict. As a long-term approach, the government should establish grazing reserves in consenting states and improve livestock production and management in order to minimise contacts and friction between herders and farmers. Finally, it is clear that internal security has continued to be a major challenge in the country; hence there is an urgent need for the review of the national security policy and strategy to accommodate these new dimensions of security challenges arising from the herdsmen and farming communities’ clashes in Nigeria. 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://thenationonlineng.net/benuerivers-killings-igp-orders-24hr-nationwide-patrol/ [2] https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/201829-nigeria-loses-14-billion-annually-herdsmen-farmers-clashes-report.html&source=gmail&ust=1515588797358000&usg=AFQjCNEM1uP_vdhZvBgALI7EQflXKC_d3Q [3] https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/10/farmersherders-clashes-claim-2500-lives-13-7bn-one-year-abdulsalami/

Abuja, Nigeria. December 26, 2017­­- Latest public opinion poll released by NOIPolls has revealed that despite the challenging economic situation and other negative socio-economic indices such as unemployment, inadequate basic social amenities, price inflation, high exchange rate, poverty, etc. that characterised 2017, [1] a larger proportion (41 percent) of the adult population of Nigerian describe 2017 as a good year mainly due to the good health they have enjoyed within the year. On the other hand, 32 percent of Nigerians consider 2017 as a bad year mainly due to bad economy and hardship. Further findings revealed that most Nigerians are mostly concerned about their safety/security and financial status during the holidays; this could be due to the heightened incidences of road accidents, armed robbery and burglary commonly reported during this season in Nigeria.[2] Moreover, the poll revealed that almost half (45 percent) of adult Nigerians will not be traveling during the holidays while 22 percent stated that they will be traveling. Finally, as the end of every year is usually characterised by personal reflections on achievements and plans for the next year, the main expectations of Nigerians for 2018 are business expansion (20 percent), improved economy (17 percent), and more job opportunities (16 percent) amongst other expectations. While these expectations are interwoven, the onus is on the government to create an enabling environment for business growth across the country, which will then translate to more job opportunities and an improved economy. These are the key findings from the End of the Year Poll conducted by NOIPolls in the week commencing 4th December 2017. Brief Background: End of the year for a typical Nigerian is a period for different celebrations, with diverse festivities ranging from parties to carnivals, social gatherings, family/school reunion, cultural fairs to annual sporting and/ art events, etc.To some Nigerians, it is a time to reflect and see what they have achieved thus far and what to expect in the next year. While most people would travel, others due to certain reasons may not travel and thus remain in their present locations. Against this background, NOIPolls conducted this poll to gauge the perceptions of Nigerians on how they have fared in 2017 and their plans for the festive season, as well as their expectations for the 2018. Key Findings One of the characteristics of Nigerians during festive seasons is traveling, ironically the report identified that almost half (45 percent) of the adult population surveyed disclosed that meaning they will not be travelling. This may be a reflection on how the economic situation might have affected them through the year and amongst other reasons. Contrarily, 22 percent stated that they would be travelling while 13 percent of the respondents are undecided, amongst other plans mentioned. As expected, the South-East and South-South zones accounted for the largest proportion of Nigerians who indicated that they would be traveling during the holidays. On personal wellbeing, findings revealed that Nigerians are mostly concerned about safety/security (20 percent) and financial status (20 percent) especially during this festive seasons. This is consequent upon the incidences of road accidents, armed robbery, burglary and the need to be financially buoyant which has been reported to characterize every end of the year in Nigeria[3]. Similarly, the report indicated that 17 percent of Nigerians are concerned about their standard of living which is directly proportional to their financial status and residents from the South-West zone are mostly particular about this issue. The end of every year marks a time when people count their achievements and make plans and resolutions for the following year. In the light of these, the survey gauged the opinion of Nigerians regarding their most important achievement in 2017 and it shows that 18 percent specified that they were promoted in their various fields of endeavour, 11 percent disclosed that they completed their education and 10 percent stated they acquired a landed property amongst other key achievements. Importantly, the poll ascertained how Nigerians perceived the year 2017 and interestingly, despite the challenging economic situation and other socio-economic indices such as high rate of unemployment, inadequate basic and social amenities, price inflation, high exchange rate, poverty, etc., 41 percent of the adult population of Nigerians surveyed acknowledged that 2017 was a good year. The GDP per Capita, in Nigeria, when adjusted by Purchasing Power Parity is equivalent to 31 percent (2,177 USD) of the world’s average which stands at 16,000 USD[4]. This is reflective of the level of optimism of Nigerians despite any circumstance they might be facing. Also the poll identified that 23 percent described the year as Fair and the other hand, 32 percent termed it as a “bad year”. Furthermore, the poll report ascertained the reasons why 41 percent of Nigerians described 2017 as a good year and results revealed that a larger share of the respondents (28 percent) stated that they enjoyed good health this year.  While 15 percent say it is because their businesses flourished, 12 percent indicated that their standard of living actually improved amongst other mentions. Also, the poll identified that the top 3 reasons why Nigerians described 2017 so far as fair year were because of poor economic situation (24 percent), slightly improved standard of living (17 percent) and high cost of living (15 percent) amongst other reasons. Similarly, majority of the respondents who considered 2017 to be a bad year said so mainly because of the bad economic situation (26 percent), economic hardship (17 percent) and the high cost of living’ (14 percent) in the country amongst other valid reasons. The end of every year is marked by personal moments and one of such is to make plans for the coming year. On this note, the perception of Nigerians regarding their expectations in the coming year were assessed and the findings revealed that the mainly expectation of Nigerians in the year 2018 are for them to expand their respective businesses (20 percent) and this is left to the government to create more opportunities and conducive platform for business growth across the country. In addition, 17 percent indicated that they would like the Nigerian economy to improve, which would directly affect their personal wellbeing. Also, 16 percent mentioned that they are looking forward to a better employment opportunities come 2018 amongst other vital reasons. Finally, the poll has revealed that almost half (45 percent) of the adult population of Nigerians surveyed will be staying at home during the festive period and this could be attributed to the poor economic situation in the country as whole. Also, it was evident from the responses on personal expectation for the year 2018 that most Nigerians are looking forward to an improved economy which is directly proportional to the improvement of their personal wellbeing. Ultimately, the Nigerian government and key stakeholders should make concerted efforts at creating enabling environment for the economy to continue to grow as it will definitely affect the lives of the common men. Also, the 2018 budget should be given a speedy passage by the Nigerian Senate so as to ensure maximum implementation, for every aspect of the Nigerian economy to experience fresh economic breath and sustainability as the nation continues to recover from recession. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week of December 4th 2017. 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 you can also download our mobile app NOIPolls on your smartphone. 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

Abuja, Nigeria. December 19th, 2017 –  Since 2007, we have consistently delivered relevant key and vital information on various topical socio-burning issues as they relate to Nigeria. Over the past ten years, we have also conducted our flagship National Polls five times, with the latest national poll conducted this year 2017. This extensive public opinion poll which aims to evaluate the opinions and attitudes of Nigerians, covers a wide range of topics such as; Governance, Health, Education, Security, Energy, Telecommunications, Taxation, Banking and Financial Inclusion, Media Spending and Eating Patterns, Made-in-Nigeria Goods and on Being a Nigerian. HERE IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE RESULTS OF THE NOIPOLLS 2017 NATIONAL POLL GOVERNANCE & INSTITUTIONAL PERFORMANCE On governance, the 2017 National Poll rated the job performance of President Muhammadu Buhari, and the results showed that Nigerians rated the president 52 percent as at April-May this year, when the poll was conducted. Unsurprisingly, the highest approval rating of 75 percent was received from the President’s home base, the North-West geo-political zone; while his lowest approval of 19 percent came from the South-East geo-political zone. These regional variations arguably reflect not only the voting patterns during the 2015 presidential election, but also speak to the pattern of agitations and counter-agitations since President Buhari came to power. The poll also rated the President on specific sectors on a 4-point scale, where 1 stood for poor and 4 stood for Excellent. From the results, the highest average score of 2.3 points each was obtained for the President’s performance on Security and Agriculture; while the worst ratings of 1.8 points each were for his performance on the Economy and Poverty Alleviation & Job Creation. Similarly, 60 percent of those polled said they were Unsatisfied with the president’s handling of the economy. The poll also sought the opinion of Nigerians regarding President Buhari’s anti-corruption war. The results showed that while 91 percent of Nigerian believe corruption is still a major issue in the country; 58 percent of the population are of the opinion that the president’s anti-corruption war is working, with 42 percent responding on the contrary. In addition to the President, the job performance of State Governors was also assessed by Nigerians. From the results, as rated by citizens resident in each of the states, the top performing states are: Katsina (86 percent), Sokoto and Kano (with 83 percent each), Adamawa (82 percent), Zamfara and Jigawa (80 percent each), Kebbi (79 percent), Niger (73 percent), Yobe (71 percent) and Anambra (66 percent). On the other hand, the ten least performing states were identified as: Bayelsa (12 percent), Abia (15 percent), Delta (18 percent), Imo (19 percent), Borno (24 percent), Kaduna (28 percent), Kogi (30 percent), Benue (34 percent), Bauchi (35 percent) and Kwara (38 percent). Furthermore, in terms on institutional effectiveness, Nigerians had the opportunity to assess the performance of 17 public institutions having regular interface with the populace. The results revealed that the top 5 institutions considered effective by Nigerians are: The Military (72 percent), National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) (65 percent), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) (63 percent), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration & Control (NAFDAC) (61 percent), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at 59 percent. On the other hand, the Nigerian Police (NP) and Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) was considered the least effective institutions, scoring below average at 45 percent each. HEALTH AND EDUCATION On the Health Sector, the poll showed that Nigerians generally believe they are healthy, as 82 percent of Nigerians demonstrated poor health-seeking behaviours for both preventive and curative; although more respondents sought curative care rather than preventive care. The poll also reaffirmed Malaria as the most prevalent health challenge facing Nigerians by a significant proportion of 81 percent; with 63 percent accessing malaria tablets, 30 percent taking injections, and 6 percent making use of native medicine to treat the ailment. In addition to Malaria, other ailments identified include: Cough (4 percent), Cholera (3 percent) and Diarrhea (2 percent). Furthermore, the poll revealed that only 3 percent of Nigerians have some form of health or social insurance to cover the cost of accessing healthcare services. Majority of Nigerians (77 percent) say they pay for health services “Out of Pocket”, with 16 percent who say they receive “Support from family and friends” to access healthcare. These findings corroborate existing media reports on the sheer magnitude of Nigerians not covered under any form of health insurance; and highlights the huge opportunity to tap into this space to provide alternative and sustainable financing for the health sector. On Education, a considerable proportion of 15 percent of respondents reported incidence of Children Out-of-School in their communities; particularly in the North-Central (23 percent) and North East (24 percent) regions of the country. Furthermore, the poll revealed that “financial difficulties households” (73 percent) was identified as the most significant reason for children dropping out of school; and this was followed by other reasons such as: lack of personal motivation (7 percent), those who dropped-out to learn a trade (7 percent), those who dropped-out to get married (5 percent) and the absence of schools in the local community (4 percent) amongst others. The poll further highlighted a more positive perception towards Girl-Child education; as almost 9 in 10 Nigerians (88 percent) were of the opinion that girl-child education is important to their communities. Similarly, on the issue of ender disparity, 90 percent of Nigerians were also of the opinion that Boys and Girls should be given equal opportunity to access education. SECURITY On Security, the poll reported that while 65 percent of Nigerians say they feel safe in their localities, 35 percent say they do not feel secure. In line with this perception, about a third of the population (33 percent) expressed knowledge of a robbery case incident, and 13 percent expressed knowledge of a kidnap incident, within their locality in the last 12 months. Consequently, when asked to rate the government’s response to threats of violence in the country, 48 percent expressed their satisfaction with the response. On the contrary, 50 percent of Nigerians expressed dissatisfaction with government’s response to threats of insecurity; particularly amongst residents of South-East (83 percent) and South-South (79 percent) geo-political regions. In furtherance, Nigerians were asked to rate their level of trust for organisations involved in providing security. The results revealed that the Military topped the list of such organisations with 77 percent, followed by Vigilante Groups & Community Security with 64 percent. On the other hand, Nigeria Police was identified as the security institution with the least level of trust with only 35 percent. It is worth noting that Vigilante Groups & Community Security (66 percent), Private Security Contractors (52 percent), and Ethno-Regional Groups like the Odua People’s Congress (OPC) (48 percent) received higher levels of confidence from the general public compared to the Police (35 percent). ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS On the Power Sector, the poll found that 87 percent of Nigerians are connect to the National Grid, while 13 percent of Nigerians are not connected to the Grid, particularly with the rural areas. Furthermore, for the 87 percent of Nigerians connected to the Grid, 31 percent say power supply to their households was poor in the last 3 months (referencing February to April 2017 to when the poll was conducted); with 58 percent reporting that they received less than 7 hours of cumulative power supply per day, including 5 percent who said they have not received power supply to their households at all. Furthermore, on the effectiveness of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), 55 percent of Nigerians do not believe PHCN is an effective organisation; with 88 percent of the opinion that PHCN is a corrupt organisation. As a result, 45 percent of Nigerians say they use alternative sources of power to argument the poor supply of power to households; with 93 percent using petrol-powered generators and 4 percent using diesel-powered generators. On Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as Petrol, 48 percent of Nigerians say buy petrol often; with 41 percent buying from Major Marketer Filling Stations and 39 percent from Independent Marketer Filling Stations, and 11 percent buying from Black Marketers. On the Telecommunications, the poll revealed that current GSM mobile phone penetration in the country stands at 88 percent. This represents a 32 percentage points increase from 2008 when our poll reported penetration of 56 percent at the time. TAXATION AND MADE-IN-NIGERIA GOODS On Taxation, the poll reported that only 44 percent of Nigerians say they pay their taxes compared to 46 percent who say they do not pay taxes. And in line with this finding, only 36 percent believe that taxes are used to provide services and infrastructural development; while 47 percent were of the opinion that taxes are not used for the right purposes. A further 16 percent reported that they don’t know what taxes paid are being used for. On Made-In-Nigeria Goods, 89 percent of Nigerians say they are willing to buy locally-made products; as they are confident that demand for Made-in-Nigeria goods will help strengthen the Naira, as stated by 87 percent. In addition, the poll revealed that 61 percent of Nigerians consider Made-In-Nigeria products as Good and Excellent; however, they also believe that products from countries such as the United States (88 percent) and United Kingdom (86 percent) are better than locally-made products in terms of quality and durability. MEDIA, BANKING AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION On Media, the poll reported that Radio remains the most important source of information to Nigerians, with 50 percent affirmation. This was followed by television at 20 percent, the Internet & Social Media at 17 percent, and Newspapers at 8 percent. In addition, an assessment of the reputation of the Nigerian media revealed that Nigerians have a relatively positive perception of the media, as 62 percent believe the media is independent. In terms of trust, Nigerians consider radio stations as the most trustworthy with 95 percent; followed by television, magazines and the internet (86 percent each). In addition, on the issue of corruption in the Media, about a third of Nigerians (33 percent) believe corruption is high on the internet and social media; compared to Radio (13 percent), Television (17 percent) and Newspaper (19 percent). On Banking & Financial Inclusion, the poll reported that Bank Account Ownership in Nigeria currently stands at 61 percent; and this represent an improvement from 2008 when our poll reported 28 percent. Conversely, this finding highlights an unbanked adult population of 39 percent, especially in the North-West geo-political region, where 69 percent of those polled said they do not have a bank account with any formal financial institution. Furthermore, an assessment of the financial services most important to Nigerians revealed that wide ATM network (46 percent), branch network (23 percent), efficient customer service (12 percent) remain most critical to customers. Interestingly, in terms of quality of financial services provided by banks in Nigeria, the polled reported a high level of satisfaction, as indicated by 90 percent of bank customers. SPENDING AND EATING PATTERNS On Nigerians Spending & Eating Patterns, 88 percent of Nigerians reported that they experienced an increase in household expenditure over the last one year. As a result, less than half of the adult population (46 percent) say they eat three times daily. This was followed by 42 percent who say they eat twice daily and 4 percent who say they eat only once a day. Interestingly, an assessment of breakfast eating patterns revealed that 84 percent of those polled say they eat breakfast regularly, and the top three foods consumed at breakfast are: Bread (53 percent) Beans, Moi-Moi or Akara (40 percent) Pap/Ogi (39 percent). Similarly, 71 percent say they eat lunch regularly, and the top three foods mainly consumed at lunch are: Rice (50 percent), Swallow or Ball Foods (45 percent) and Yam (33 percent). Also, 93 percent say they eat dinner regularly; and the top three foods consumed at dinner are: Swallow or Ball Foods (78 percent), Rice (43 percent), and Yam (33 percent). Furthermore, the poll revealed that 64 percent of Nigerians say they eat Swallow or Ball Foods at least three times a week; and the most common Ball Foods consumed are Garri or Eba (50 percent), Tuwon Masara (35 percent), Fufu or Akpu (32 percent) and Semovita (30 percent). Other Ball Foods mentioned are Tuwon Shinkafa, Pounded Yam, Amala and Wheatmeal. BEING A NIGERIAN AND NIGERIAN INDEPENDENCE Finally, on Being a Nigerian, 88 percent of Nigerians say they were proud to be Nigerian; and 60 percent say they believe the country has fared well as one nation in its 57 years of independence.  Similarly, when asked to state the greatest achievement of the country since its amalgamation over 100 years ago, Nigeria stated that they consider Democracy & Unity (19 percent) and advancement in Telecommunication (19 percent). Other achievements include: agricultural development, peace and security, and independence. METHODOLOGY The NOIPolls 2017 National Poll was conducted through face-to-face interviews. A total of 5018 respondents were sampled for the poll, which was conducted in five major Nigerian languages: English, Pidgin, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo. All states and senatorial districts in Nigeria were proportionately represented in the poll. In each of the 109 senatorial districts, a Local Government Area (LGA) which is the headquarter of each senatorial district was selected for interview.  This represents three (3) LGAs per State. Three (3) LGAs were also randomly selected in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. In total, 111 LGAs were surveyed in each of the yearly survey. All respondents were aged 18 years and above, older. More information is available at www.noi-polls.com you can also download our mobile app NOIPolls on your smartphone. 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

Abuja, Nigeria. December 12th, 2017 – Latest public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls in partnership with Child Protection Hub Nigeria (CPHub) has revealed a high prevalence (92 percent) of child abuse in Nigeria, corroborating  a report by UNICEF which also revealed a high prevalent rate of child abuse in Nigeria specifying that millions of children in Nigeria suffer some form of physical, emotional or sexual violence.[1]  NOIPolls findings further revealed that half of the respondents (50 percent) attested to have personally witnessed the incidence of child abuse within their localities. This is line with a 2014 Nigeria Violence Against Children (VAC) survey by the National Population Commission, with support from UNICEF and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which revealed that 6 out of 10 Nigerian children experienced at least one form of violence before they are 18.[2] It was also revealed that there are very few organizations working to support victims of child abuse and those are largely based in the cities. For example, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), World Health Organization (WHO), etc. are very popular in the Southern region of Nigeria due to the rife activities of human trafficking, including children, in the zone. In support of this, statistics from this report revealed that 78 percent of the respondents claimed that they do not know organizations that support victims of child abuse while only 22 percent indicated that they are aware of such organizations, based on events that have occurred in their localities which borders on child abuse. The report further revealed a low reporting rate of abused children as only 27 percent of the 50 percent of respondents who claimed to have personally witnessed child abuse confirmed to have reported the case mainly to the Police via word of mouth. It could be inferred that child abuse in Nigeria is stoked by an overall poor public knowledge on its dangers to the society at large as this report portrays respondents’ indifference in reporting cases of child abuse in their localities. This indifference could also be attributed to the poor and slow domestication of the 1989 United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 1990 African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.  In 2003, Nigeria signed into law the Child Rights Act (CRA) to domesticate these international and regional child rights treaties of which it is a party to.  So far, the Child Rights Act has been passed in only 25 of Nigeria’s 36 states, with Plateau State being the most recent to enact the law on the 24th of November, 2017.[3]  In the same vein the survey showed that 10 percent of Nigerians nationwide stated that child protection laws should be duly enforced in order to curb this threat to humanity. These are some of the key findings from the Child Abuse poll conducted in the week commencing November 13th, 2017. Brief Background Child abuse is any action by a parent, guardian, caregiver, any other persons, organization or institution that causes harm to a child whether through deliberate action or failing to act thereby; causing injury, emotional harm, and risk of serious harm or even death to a child. There are many forms of child abuse, including neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation and emotional abuse. Protecting the rights of a child is vital in every society because the future of that society and the world at large is reliant on the proper development of all children. Unequivocally, the kind of upbringing or care a child gets today fashions his/her personality and determines what they contribute to nation building. Hence, children must be protected from all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation. A survey report on the 2014 Nigeria Violence Against Children conducted by the National Population Commission with the support of the United States Centre for Disease Control and UNICEF, revealed a high prevalence of violence against children across all states in Nigeria.  The survey also revealed that approximately 6 in 10 children experienced some form of violence and 50 percent of all children in Nigeria experienced physical violence. It further showed that about 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 10 boys experienced sexual violence, while 1 in 6 girls and 1 in 5 boys experienced emotional violence by a parent, caregiver or adult relative. The extreme weakness of child protection systems in Nigeria and building a child-centered social protection system will undoubtedly be challenging, especially given the broader governance concerns in the country. However, violence against children ought to be ended by the year 2030, according to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but for this to be achieved, all hands must be on deck. For instance, all the stakeholders of the Federal, State and Local government and their corresponding parastatals including International and Local agencies that are championing the course of violence against children and other stakeholders should focus on an enlightenment campaign directed towards strengthening awareness and enforcement of relevant legislative and policy frameworks in the course of protecting the Rights of the Nigerian Child. Against this backdrop, NOIPolls in partnership with Child Protection Hub Nigeria (CPHub) –   a child advocacy organization that aims to ensure the protection and safeguarding of the Nigerian child, conducted a knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) survey to gauge the prevalence, awareness, and responses of Nigerians to incidents of child abuse in the country. Survey Findings The initial question sought the prevalence of child abuse and findings revealed a high occurrence of child abuse in the country as indicated by 92 percent of respondents surveyed. It also showed that there are slightly more female respondents than male respondents who asserted that the incidence of child abuse in Nigeria is high. Further analysis by age group revealed that those aged 61 and above had the largest proportion (95 percent) of respondents who believe there is a high prevalence of child abuse in Nigeria and this could be attributed to personal experiences or reports that they may have heard from other parents. On the contrary, 8 percent of the respondents surveyed stated that the incidence of child abuse is not prevalent in Nigeria. An even split of 50 percent of respondents said they have personally witnessed cases of child abuse in their localities. More analysis by geopolitical zones revealed that the South-East zone (58 percent) had the highest percentage of respondents that have personally witnessed a case of child abuse, this was closely followed by the South-South zone (57 percent) while the North-East zone (41 percent) had the lowest percentage of respondents in this category. The other 50 percent of respondents alleged that they have not witnessed any case of child abuse within their localities. Lastly, respondents gave some suggestions as a means to reduce the incidence of child abuse in Nigeria and the top four responses mentioned includes; ‘public enlightenment on the effects of child abuse’ (31 percent), ‘strict punishment on the defaulters of child abuse law’ (12 percent), ‘free education for all children’ (10 percent) and ‘make a law on child protection’ (10 percent). It is important to note that, although, Nigeria assented to domesticate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child through the CRA in 2003 which led to the passing of the law at the Federal level, only 25 out of the country’s 36 States have passed the CRA. Therefore, intense advocacy is required for the remaining 11 States to pass it to law so that the rights of the child would be fully protected. For the states that have domesticated the CRA, a concerted effort is needed on the part of state agencies at the state and local government level to ensure effective implementation of the Act. In conclusion, survey results have confirmed that there is a high prevalence of child abuse in Nigeria, inadequate cluster of child-rights organizations capable of providing support services to abused children or those at risk of abuse which was evident from the low percentage of respondents who are aware of such organizations. Also, some of the international organizations driving the course of this matter have grown in popularity due to the peculiarity in the zones where they are present. For example, the lingering Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East region has made UN agencies and INGOs like UNICEF, Save the Children and International Red Cross etc. popular in that area. These are clear evidences of a knowledge gap between the government, citizenry and the stakeholders (national and international NGOs) that are saddled with the responsibility of safeguarding the rights of the child in Nigeria. Limited resources available to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (MWASD) and local child-rights NGOs further cripples the current child protection system in the country and children continue to be victims of child abuse. The extreme weakness of child protection systems in Nigeria and building a child-centered social protection system will undoubtedly be challenging, especially given the broader governance concerns in the country. However, violence against children ought to be ended by the year 2030, according to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but for this to be achieved, all hands must be on deck. For instance, all the stakeholders of the Federal, State and Local government and their corresponding parastatals including International and Local agencies that are championing the course of violence against children and other stakeholders should focus on an enlightenment campaign directed towards strengthening awareness and enforcement of relevant legislative and policy frameworks in the course of protecting the Rights of the Nigerian Child. Additionally, the report has also established that 50 percent of Nigerians claimed to have witnessed an incidence of child abuse, however, only 27 percent went on to report the case. Furthermore, majority (60 percent) of those who reported did so to the Police mainly through word-of-mouth, as attested to by 93 percent of the respondents. In the same vein, this finding seems to be a confirmation that Nigerians seem to be unwilling to report cases of child abuse in the country as 34 percent of the respondents claimed that they do not know where to report the case to. Hence, it is pertinent for the Federal Government of Nigeria, MWASD, international and local agencies that are passionate about protecting the Rights of the Child to rise up to these challenges by educating citizens on the resultant effects of child abuse, as suggested by 31 percent of the respondents. They should also advise the public on where to report such cases and the process of reporting. Where such systems do not exist, then efforts should be made by these stakeholders to develop a referral pathway for children who are abused or at risk of abuse. There should also be an even distribution of organizations that support the victims of child abuse with a very clear direction on how to locate them. Finally, in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal to end all forms of violence against children by 2030, it is important to persuade the remaining 11 States in Nigeria that are yet to pass the Child Right Act of 2003 to do so with immediate effect in order to fully criminalize the dastardly act therefore providing Nigerian children the opportunity where they are nurtured in a safe and secure environment. According to Lyndon B. Johnson, “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose”, therefore the right of every child should be protected so that we can have a secure tomorrow. Please click here to download full report Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing November 14th, 2017. It involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample. 1,000 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geo-political 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 you can also download our mobile app NOIPolls on your smartphone. 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] https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/media_11542.html [2] https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/media_11542.html [3]https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/north-central/250623-plateau-domesticates-child-rights-act-vows-full-implementation.html

Abuja, Nigeria. December 5th, 2017 – The World AIDS day was observed worldwide on December 1st  2017. The aim of this observance was to raise public awareness about preventive measures, proper treatment and management of HIV (Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus) to avoid progression to full blown AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome).People around the world took advantage of the day to unite in the fight against HIV, show support for people living with it, and commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-associated illness.[1] The theme for the 2017 campaign was “My Health, My Right”; it focused on the right to health and it also explored the challenges people around the world face in exercising these rights. According to the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé, during UNAIDS launch for the 2017 World AIDS Day campaign, all people regardless of their age, gender, where they live or who they love, have the right to health. He further added thatno matter what their health needs are, everyone requires health solutions that are available and accessible, free from discrimination and of good quality.[2] World AIDS Day reminds the public and government that HIV has not gone away as millions around the world are still living with HIV. A recent 2017 data report released by UNAIDS, disclosed that an estimated one million people worldwide died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2016 and as at the end of 2015, an estimated 36.7 million people around the world were living with HIV.[3] In Nigeria, the official HIV prevalence as reported by UNAIDS is 3.2 percent among the adult population, giving a total estimate of 3.4 million Nigerians living with HIV. This makes Nigeria the second largest HIV epidemic in the world and has one of the highest new infection rates in sub-Saharan Africa.[4] In the light of the 2017 World AIDS Day, NOIPolls reflects on some findings from its past poll on combating HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, highlighting its challenges, awareness on transmission and suggestions on reducing the epidemic. The poll which was conducted in 2013 revealed that the overwhelming majority (90 percent) of the respondents agreed that HIV/AIDS is a critical health challenge in Nigeria. Indeed, the HIV epidemic in Nigeria is an issue and differs extensively by region. In some regions, the epidemic is more concentrated and steered by high-risk behaviours, whereas some regions have more indiscriminate epidemics that are sustained primarily by multiple sexual partners in the general population.[5] According to the Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDs (NACA), Sani Aliyu, during an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) on HIV/AIDs in December 2016, he stated that at least 500 Nigerians die of HIV/AIDs daily, with an average new infection of 600 people every day.[6] Also, the UNAIDS 2017 data book reported that approximately 160,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses in Nigeria in 2016 and since 2005, the reduction in the number of annual AIDS-related deaths has been minimal, signifying that not all those living with HIV in Nigeria are accessing Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART).[7] Furthermore, the poll revealed that most Nigerians are aware of the common mode of contracting HIV/AIDS as 86 percent mentioned sexual intercourse and residents from the North-East zone represent the larger share of Nigerians who are aware of this.In spite of this high awareness, the coordinator for HIV/AIDs in Borno state, during last year’s World AIDS day stated that about 5,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in 27 different camps in the state are currently living with the virus.[8] It therefore becomes pertinent that the government and other relevant stakeholders ensure that as many people as possible get tested, and that treatment is made available for those who have tested positive to the virus. In a bid to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, majority (51 percent) of the respondents believed that deploying more far reaching sensitization and media programs to create awareness about HIV/AIDS, its prevention and treatment plan would go a long way in combating the epidemic. It is worthy to note that 24 percent of respondents suggested that there should be more HIV testing centres in the country, and this has been identified as a critical tool in fighting the epidemic; it follows that if there were more test centres, more people would be aware of their status which would then inform preventive and management measures depending on the outcome of their results. Currently, a large number of people living with HIV in Nigeria are unaware of their status due limited number of HIV testing and counselling sites.[9] In conclusion, the poll revealed that Nigerians are aware that HIV/AIDS is a critical health issue in the country which affects all population groups and geographical areas. Although Nigeria’s response to HIV/AIDS is guided by the National Strategic Framework 2017–2021, government and other stakeholders should mainly focus at ending AIDS by achieving zero new infections rate, zero AIDS related deaths, zero discrimination and elimination of mother-to-child transmission. Providing anti-retroviral treatment for Nigerians living with HIV doesn’t only benefit those already living with HIV, it also naturally reduces the chance of onward transmission to others. When people are not on treatment, it is hard to tackle the HIV epidemic therefore; considerable commitment, funding and resources need to be organized to expand access to treatment as a preventive method. Also, the engagement of all members of the society, especially those who are most vulnerable to HIV, is key to a unified HIV response. Finally, HIV testing should be intensely encouraged among the Nigerian population to ensure everyone knows their HIV status because without knowing how many people are living with the virus, it is hard to reduce new infections and provide HIV treatment to all. 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.catie.ca/en/world-aids-day [2] http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2017/november/20171106_myhealth-myright [3] http://www.catie.ca/en/world-aids-day [4] http://nigeriahealthwatch.com/how-many-nigerians-are-living-with-hiv/ [5] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319562X16300110 [6] https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/217040-500-nigerians-die-hivaids-daily-naca.html [7] http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/20170720_Data_book_2017_en.pdf [8] https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/217040-500-nigerians-die-hivaids-daily-naca.html [9] https://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-around-world/sub-saharan-africa/nigeria

Abuja, Nigeria. November 7th, 2017 – The Independent National Electoral Commission has started the countdown to the 2019 general elections. The INEC chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood, made this announcement, while meeting with members of the Commission and all Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC), at the INEC Headquarters’ Conference Hall, Abuja. According to him, the Presidential and National Assembly elections have been fixed for Saturday, 16th February, 2019. Although democracy in Nigeria is perceived to be maturing, there is need for citizens to be certain about the timetables for elections as it is in other countries such as in the United States (where general elections always hold on the second Tuesday of November in the election year) and in Ghana (7th of December of the election year).[1] In Nigeria, the constitution stipulates that elections should be held not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days to the end of the incumbent’s tenure. Thus, in order to ensure certainty in election dates and to aid proper planning for political parties, security agencies, candidates and all other stakeholders, INEC led by Professor Yakubu Mahmood, decided to fix the date for National Elections every third Saturday in February of an election year and State elections two weeks afterwards. As a result, the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, 16th February 2019, while the Governorship/State Assembly/Federal Capital Territory Area Council Elections will hold on Saturday 2nd March 2019. In view of the timetables and countdown to the 2019 elections, the impact of election preparedness on the success of the elections cannot be overemphasised. The preceding months before the set dates should be maximised by all stakeholders including citizens to ensure timely and efficient voters registration considering that it is one of the most costly, time-consuming and complex aspects of the electoral process. The continuous voter’s registration (CVR) is still on-going and so far INEC has been able to register about 2,786,405 Nigerians, nevertheless, there is need for continuous sensitisation to enhance overall voters participation; such that willingness would translate into actual participation especially in the 2019 elections. For instance, a past NOI’s election poll revealed a high level of participation willingness prior to the 2015 elections (as shown in the chart below), however, figures from INEC on the actual participation revealed a gap in the number of registered (67,422,005) and accredited voters (31,746,490) as well as the number of votes cast (29,432,083) during the 2015 presidential elections[2]. Furthermore, inclusion in the electoral process needs to be given priority ahead of the 2019 elections to ensure the active engagement of all eligible citizens. In view of this, strategic steps need to be taken to remove barriers and ensure equal access for the disadvantaged, vulnerable and minority groups in the society; such as people living with disabilities, internally displaced persons and aged persons etc, in order to increase participation of these groups. Similarly, the activities of insurgency in the North-East may pose a challenge in the participation of its residents in electoral processes; this is evidenced in the chart above which revealed that the zone recorded the lowest proportion of respondents who claimed to have registered ahead of the 2015 elections. Thus, INEC needs to ensure that proper voters education and all other election sensitizations are carried out in the region and other vital areas to ensure an all-inclusive 2019 elections. Finally, as the countdown to the 2019 general election has begun, it is advised that Nigerians who do not have voter’s card and those who just turned 18 years make good use of the on-going registration to get their permanent voter’s card to avoid the 11th hour rush. In terms of technology, INEC should consolidate on the successes recorded in the 2015 general elections with the introduction of new innovations such as the Electronic Voter Register (EVR), Electronic Voter Authentication (EVA) and Electronic Transmission of Results (ETR). The 2019 general elections will be the sixth since 1999, when Nigeria returned to civilian rule. If well administered in terms of fulfilling the most basic democratic requirements of elections, the election will strengthen Nigeria’s prospects for democratic rule and national development. The Independent National Electoral Commission can also encourage increased political participation by improving on its use of the election technology of Smart Card Readers to minimize the delays that were witnessed during the 2015 general elections due to technical hitches. Finally, INEC should in conjunction with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Media, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Community Associations improve on voter education with particular focus on vote casting to reduce the number of rejected ballots that may occur.he 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] https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/225704-breaking-inec-announces-dates-2019-general-elections.html [2] http://www.inecnigeria.org/?page_id=31

Abuja, Nigeria. October 31st, 2017 – The “Ember Months” which start from September to December are regarded as festive period. This period is usually filled with various social activities such as, weddings, birthday parties, freedom parties, even burials, remembrances, Eid and Christmas celebrations as well as general merry making causing a high market rush for traders and business men and women.However, this period has also been ascribed with all manner of evil occurrences and characterized with different social vices like armed robbery, kidnap, carjacking, ritual killings, molestations, oppression and suppression, drunkenness, allegations, accidents (home, road, water, air, and fire), reckless driving, etc.[1] For instance, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in a report to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, revealed that 550 persons died and 3,184 others were injured in 903 road traffic accidents across the country in December 2016. The report revealed a 16 percent increase in the number of road traffic crashes and 45 percent and 36 percent increases in the number of people killed and persons injured respectively when compared to November 2016.[2] In terms of crime, a study by Bulwark Intelligence covering August 2016 to March 2017 revealed an increase in crime such as armed robbery, kidnapping, armed attacks and bank robberies in Nigeria. The data showed a correlation between crime and festive seasons in which crime increases a month prior to holidays, hence a spike in August prior to the Eid holiday in September 2016 and a spike in November prior to the Christmas holiday in December 2016.[3] Although the police and other security agencies continue to deploy measures to combat crime and protect the lives and properties of Nigerians, tackling security challenges within this period requires deliberate efforts from all stakeholders. An “all hands on deck” approach is necessary in fighting crime which means citizens in all communities must be careful and report any suspicious or unusual activities, as everyone is primarily responsible for their personal security. The security of a country to some extent is determined by precautionary steps taken by citizens. For instance, in a past security poll conducted by NOIPolls, respondents confirmed the need for citizens to be security conscious in order to tackle security challenges in Nigeria (shown in the chart below). Some simple security tips may include reporting suspicious persons, keeping valuables out of sight, avoiding the use of ATM in isolated locations, limiting the offering  or acceptance of rides from strangers, ensuring all doors and windows are locked, and illuminating the environment at night etc. Religious leaders are also advised to preach good morals to their faithful as well as spread security tips to citizens. Nonetheless, the role of the security agencies and personnel in maintaining security within this period cannot be over emphasised. Nigerians have shown a high level of confidence in the security agencies to tackle security matters within this period as evidenced from a past security poll shown in the chart below. However, the question is; are citizens aware of the necessary security steps to adopt towards securing themselves, as well as the procedures involved in reporting security issues to ensure a collaborative effort between security agencies and citizens? In conclusion, as the end of year festivities draw near, it is pertinent that security matters are considered top priority by all stakeholders in order to minimize crimes as well as road accidents across the country to the barest minimum. It is important for the Nigerian Police and other security agencies to develop operational strategies that will enhance security provision during this period and beyond. Particularly, these agencies should increase security awareness and provide toll free numbers for citizens to call in case of any emergency. It is also advised that all security agencies synergise their efforts and put in place extended security patrols taking into consideration some already known security hot spots (especially highways) in order to protect citizens. Finally, NOIPolls urges all Nigerians to be security conscious at all times as security is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders. Citizens can take part in the security watch by volunteering useful information that would aid the operations of security agencies and more importantly, citizens should strive to be law abiding throughout this season and beyond. 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.authorityngr.com/2015/12/Fears-myths-and-realities-of–ember-months/ [2] http://independent.ng/550-die-in-road-accidents-in-december-2016-frsc/ [3] http://bulwarkintelligence.com/reports/crime/armed-robbery-nigeria-trend-analysis/

The goal of this day is to “improve the dissemination of information and the mobilization of public opinion, particularly among young people”, by highlighting the issues of development and strongly emphasizing that a permanent global security is achievable once the economic and social well-being of every citizen across the globe is guaranteed[1]. In recent times, the world has been faced with challenges in all three dimensions of sustainable development—economic, social and environmental, and for these issues to be tackled head-on, data is very important. Many developing countries do not have the sound and credible statistical data required to underpin development processes. Data availability makes enormous differences as it presents reliable information which cuts a clear picture of all issues, enabling decision makers prioritize and effect positive change. Through scientific research, NOIPolls has been presenting reliable data from the diverse public opinion polls it has consistently conducted over the years. These data if properly utilized, are capable of influencing the formulation and implementation of great policies with high positive impact. One of the specific aims of World Development Information Day is to inform and motivate young people worldwide to development problems. Identifying these problems of development through dependable data is as important as the various channels used in disseminating such information. Hence NOIPolls presents a previous poll conducted on the most common sources of information available to the Nigerian populace. In the poll, Radio and Television were identified as the major avenues where the citizens get their information from, among other sources. It also revealed that social media platforms had experienced an incredible leap in usage over the two years in view which is an added bonus given the role that modern information technologies, such as Internet and mobile phones can play in information gathering, countering false and inciting messages, alerting the people on security issues and inspiring them to act towards finding solutions to problems of development facing their societies. These cannot be overemphasized. In the previous poll conducted by NOIPolls on sources of information, results revealed that a majority of Nigerians get their daily news and information from radio stations (62 percent), a smaller but still sizable proportion (49 percent) mentioned television, (37 percent) mentioned social media and (30 percent) mentioned newspapers. Despite the country’s attraction to technology, its devices, and myriad social media platforms, by ranking, majority of Nigerians (34 percent) picked ‘radio’ as the main source of their daily information. Television was ranked second with (27 percent), while social media ranked third with 20 percent. Furthermore, trend analysis from previous polls conducted in past years revealed a dramatic increase in the use of social media. The upswing of new technology has introduced several options for getting information which have continued to compete with traditional media. The year on year assessment revealed that social media as a source of daily information in Nigeria had a total increase of 18-points and 14-points in 2015 from 2007 and 2013 respectively, indicating a huge growth in its usage in Nigeria as a source of information, thus increasing the competition among all sources of information. In 2015, although radio declined by a significant 24-point when compared to 2013, it still remained the most common source of information as reported by 34 percent of Nigerians interviewed. Also, findings revealed that more Nigerians get access to their daily news from social media than newspapers. In conclusion, information is an essential tool for development, decision-making, and control because, without information, communication is compromised. The crux of the matter is that information dissemination is as important as the content of the information itself, especially when it concerns the issues of development. Lately, modern decision making, whether done by a nation’s government or an international agency, is increasingly impacted using quality and reliable information or data gathered using statistical methods. Therefore, the problems of inadequate statistics which has always been a major limitation to studies done about issues bedeviling the development of Nigeria can be surmounted by making use of reliable data presented by NOIPolls. Finally, in honour of the World Development Information Day whose aim is to present developmental challenges to the world and provoke international attention to help surmount those challenges, it is important for organizations, governments, and other stakeholders to know that it is not enough to have information, but disseminating said information through diverse and relevant sources is equally important. Because for a society to fully function, there must be a steady stream of information passing through numerous channels ranging from entertainment, inspirational, educative or informative for various people. 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. For more information, kindly visit our website www.noi-polls.com you can also download our mobile app NOIPolls on your smartphone. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect its views of respondents surveyed for and at the time this poll was conducted, 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.un.org/en/events/devinfoday/