Abuja, Nigeria. April 10th, 2018 – April 6th was declared the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2013 and has been celebrated each year since 2014. It is an annual celebration of the power of sports to drive social change, community development and to foster peace, tolerance and understanding. From time immemorial, sports has led a vital role in the world, whether it is in the form of competitive sports, physical activity or play.  All forms of Sports have been widely used as a tool to achieve cost effective and great results in humanitarian, development and peace-building efforts by governments in various countries, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), development agencies, sports federations, armed forces, the media, etc. Therefore, in some societies, sports has been considered as an important investment, particularly in developing countries. Sports has the capacity to foster unity and peace and can also enhance self-development, hence, it can be explored as a great way to unite a polarized society like Nigeria. Sports also help individuals to maintain healthier and more disciplined lifestyles. These can transform to wealth in the Nigerian societies because when united, the nation can achieve more and it is only a healthy and disciplined people that can be productive at school and at work.[1], Given the potentials of the Nigerian sports sector in fostering peace and development, it is currently riddled with various challenges ranging from corruption to a lack of funding, a non-functional nationwide sports policy to drive the vision of sector amongst others. In line with this, in a “Nigeria @ 57” interview with BusinessDay in October 2017, Mitchel Obi the President of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Africa, stated that the Nigerian sports sector has remained unchanged in terms of growth and development from 1960 till date. The sports veteran also said “It’s sad that at this stage, the leadership of this country does not consider sports as a catalyst for her developmental effort; that is the fundamental draw back. Sports is a veritable attraction for the teeming Nigerian youths.”[2] In commemoration of the 2018 International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, NOIPolls reflects on findings from its past football poll conducted in August 2017. Some of the key highlights from the poll revealed that most (53 percent) Nigerians claimed that they do not follow the indigenous Nigerian Premier League (NPL) and 25 percent of those who do not follow the NPL said it was because they do not find it interesting, compared to the English Premier League (EPL). Also, Nigerians gave suggestions about what should be done to improve the NPL followership; these include ‘Adopt ideas from foreign leagues’ (18 percent), ‘Ensure better welfare of players’(10 percent) and ‘Eradicate politics and corruption’ (10 percent), amongst others. The economic and socio-cultural impact of football, like every other form of sports, cannot be overemphasized. There is no doubt that the Nigerian sports industry has struggled for attention and investments over the years as the Nigerian government has invested very little in sports, a lot more has to be done to get more investments from the private sector to completely revitalize the league so that it can start yielding positive results. Any support from the government to the sports industry must be professionalised and transparent with clear targets set that to drive enterprise. The government can also use sports to engage the set of demography that are poorly-educated, poorly skilled and unemployed, whose population has increased exponentially, from the grassroots via elementary schools through to professional classes. This can translate to direct job creation within those categories as athletes, sportspersons, trainers, agents, coaches, referees, sports writers, mediators, and other sports officials or administrators, etc. Furthermore, as the report has revealed that most Nigerians barely follow the NPL because it is not interesting, the Nigerian government needs to study and emulate the kind of financial support that other foreign governments give to their sports industry. Such support would bring about positive changes in the Nigerian sports industry which would in turn rekindle the interest of the Nigerian masses in the various sports competition we have around. For example, the British government gives the Football Association (FA) about 30 million pounds yearly, as a form of support for the development of the local (grassroots) game[3]. In the same manner, if the Nigerian Premier League gets such support from the government, it is likely to interest the populace and garner more followers which would in turn bring about economic gains. The issues of lack of funding, allegations of bribery against match officials and insecurity are some of the major factors bedevilling the sector which government must curtail quickly.[4] Finally, there should be some level of engagement between the leading sports players and the nation’s top economic brains to find common grounds. The government through the Sports Ministry also needs to formulate policies and reforms that would encourage a mutual public-private sector partnership for sports to be seen as part of the plans for a post-oil economy as it is capable of salvaging the dire situations the nation is currently in. The sports industry has an almost infinite power not only as a unifying factor but to also add real gross value to the GDP of the nation, thereby, engendering development. Also, as various opportunities are being explored in the sports industry of the country, rapt attention must be placed on gender parity by promoting female oriented sports too because viewership for women’s sports is significantly lower than men’s. The degradation of women in male-dominated sports needs to stop, making it imperative to recognize and celebrate female sports as well, so as to entrench gender equality in the industry. In a nutshell, since sports is recognised as an important enabler of sustainable development, the Nigerian sports industry needs an urgent revitalisation so that the role of its local sports can be recognised for ‘social progress’ according to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. 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] https://www.theguardian.com/global/2016/apr/06/sport-is-the-most-unifying-tool-for-peace-in-the-world [2] http://www.businessdayonline.com/nigeria-57-poor-policies-hindering-sports-development/ [3] http://www.thefa.com/news/2014/dec/08/fa-welcomes-government-grassroots-cash-boost [4] https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/03/18/challenges-facing-nigerian-league/

Abuja, Nigeria. March 28th, 2018 – In commemoration of World Water Day, which holds annually on the 22nd of March, NOIPolls in partnership with WaterAid conducted an opinion poll on access to clean water. The poll explored the accessibility of clean water to Nigerians, the quality and treatment of drinking water and the types of challenges faced in accessing clean water. The poll revealed that borehole is the primary source of water for a larger proportion of Nigerians both for domestic use (50 percent) and drinking (37 percent). According to the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP), this source of water supply is mainly classified as an improved source of water supply.[1] While it falls under the purview of government at all levels through the Ministry of Water resources to provide water, the reverse is the case as Nigerians provide their own water through the construction of boreholes. This alternative source of water appears to constitute a looming danger for Nigerians as most of these boreholes are exposed to underground pathogens and pollutants especially E-coli which cause diarrhoeal diseases, which are also contributing factors to malnutrition and child mortality. Findings from the opinion poll revealed that 66 percent of Nigerians do not treat their water in any form before drinking regardless of the source, mainly because they believe the water is good enough to drink (16 percent). On the other hand, 34 percent who treat their water before drinking it mostly adopt boiling (49 percent) the water as a method of purification. On access to clean water, 37 percent of Nigerians lamented over the challenges they face in accessing clean water in their households and the negative impacts this has on their spending and health. According to the World Bank, accessing clean water is a major factor in reducing child mortality.  In Nigeria alone, around 60, 000 children under the age of five die each year from diseases caused by the nation’s poor levels of access to water, sanitation and hygiene. Also, according to the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP), Nigeria has 67% water coverage. Lastly, it is imperative that the three tiers of government, stakeholders and international support agencies synergize their plans and strategies to ensure that all Nigerians have access to clean potable water in their homes by reviving all water boards across all states in the country and resuscitating dormant water plants. These are some of the key findings from the Access to Water Poll conducted by NOIPolls in the week of March 19th, 2018. Survey Background and Objectives Safe and readily available water is important for public health, whether it is used for drinking, domestic use, food production or recreational purposes. Improved water supply and sanitation, and better management of water resources, can boost countries’ economic growth and can contribute greatly to poverty reduction. In 2010, the UN General Assembly explicitly recognized the human right to water and sanitation. Everyone has the right to sufficient, continuous, safe, acceptable, physically accessible, and affordable water for personal and domestic use[2]. Earlier definitions of access to clean water required only that a person would be deemed to have clean water if they had access to a water source that was built to protect the water from contamination, such as a pump or a covered well. However, the new set of definitions set by the United Nations has set the vision higher – for every household to have its own water source available when needed, and which is regularly tested to make sure it is safe. According to figures from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) – a body set up by UNICEF and the World Health Organization to collate data on water and sanitation coverage – Nigeria has 67% water coverage. However, accessibility, availability and quality vary widely in countries such as Nigeria with national averages masking significant inequalities between subnational regions. For instance, in Nigeria, only 30% of the poorest people have clean water compared to the 89% of the richest people with access to clean water. New data linking water access to household wealth also shows that, even in countries making progress, there are still vast discrepancies between richest and poorest[3]. Nigeria features third on the list of top ten countries with lowest access – by population – to clean water close to home. However, the country is also fourth on the list of the top ten countries most improved in providing water access – by number, since 2000 and eight on the list of the top ten countries most improved in access to water – by percentage points[4]. WaterAid is fully behind the vision and ambition of the United Nations to ensure that everyone achieves the human right to safe water and toilets. In view of this background, NOIPolls in partnership with WaterAid conducted this survey in commemoration of World Water Day to gauge the perception of Nigerians regarding their access to water. Survey Findings Water is an irreplaceable commodity that has many physical properties distinct from those possessed by other liquid, gaseous, or solid materials existing on the earth’s surface. Water as a desirable resource is greatly needed by humanity for virtually all of its activities, and the importance of its quality for domestic consumption cannot be overemphasized. Domestic water should be of the highest quality, while water meant for other forms of uses can be of good quality. It is a vital need and the most important element to humankind apart from the air man breathes. Based on the above, respondents were asked of their primary source of water supply and 50 percent of those interviewed disclosed that their main source of water supply for household use is borehole and residents from the South-South accounted for the largest proportion of Nigerians who asserted to this. Other primary sources of water mentioned include; protected dug well, piped water and tanker-trucks/ water vendors amongst other sources. Subsequently, although the water we drink might appear clean, it most likely contains some harmful micro organism. Findings from this report revealed that majority (66 percent) of Nigerians do not treat the water they drink. This cuts across both genders, age-groups and a further analysis by geo-political zones showed that the North-East zone had the highest (73 percent) proportion of Nigerians who do not treat their water prior to drinking. On the other hand, 34 percent of respondents claimed that they treat their water to make it suitable for drinking. The South-West zone had the largest (48 percent) percentage of respondents who stated this. Furthermore, the 34 percent who considered their water unsafe to drink mentioned several ways or methods they employ in treating their water. The majority (49 percent) disclosed they boil before drinking. This method is particularly perceived by many as the most efficient method of purification because a lot of organisms cannot survive when water reaches its boiling point of 212o Fahrenheit or 100° C. Although, some experts have suggested that boiling might not necessarily make the water safe to drink, because some microbes still survive high temperatures. However, the time taken to heat the water to boiling is usually sufficient to reduce pathogens to safe levels[5]. The South-East zone accounted for the largest (74 percent) proportion of respondents who boil their water to make it safe. In the same manner, 19 percent stated that they add chlorine or bleach to make their drinking water safe. This method is another effective way if boiling is not possible but it has been advised that the end result might not be attained if the right amount of the bleaching agent is not used or if the bleach contains soaps, perfumes, or dyes. The South-West (33 percent) and the South-South (29 percent) zones have the largest percentage of respondents who add chlorine or bleach to their drinking water to make it safe. Other methods of treatment employed by the proportion of respondents who treat their drinking water is ‘using water filters’ (10 percent), ’letting it stand and settle’ (9 percent) amongst others. It is surprising that half (50 percent) of the respondents who do not treat their water before drinking disclosed that they believe the water, regardless of its source, is safe enough to drink and majority (80 percent) of the respondents in this category are from residents in the North-East zone. This simply infers that they might have been consuming water that is harmful to their health, hence, prone to water borne diseases. Also, 16 percent, who claimed not to treat the water they drink, asserted that drinking unsafe water does not harm their health and the South-West zone had the highest (43 percent) share of respondents here. In the same manner, while 15 percent affirmed that they deemed it unnecessary for them to treat the water they drink, 9 percent mentioned that they buy sachet water for drinking’ (9 percent). These reasons stated above call for the undertaking of a majorly grassroots sensitization and awareness campaign by the stakeholders involved for a general enlightenment of citizens on the dangers inherent in the consumption of unsafe water as  a safe and healthy society directly translates to a healthy economy. On current sources of drinking water, the survey revealed that 37 percent of Nigerian households at present get their drinking water from boreholes and this assertion is mostly from residents in the North-East zone.  This implies that almost 4 in 10 Nigerian households have their source of drinking water as boreholes. More analysis revealed that 34 percent of Nigerians keep-up with their daily drinking water needs from bottled or sachet water sources. In addition, 10 percent revealed that they currently get their drinking water from piped water amongst other sources. On challenges in accessing clean water, analysis revealed that 37 percent of Nigerian households currently have challenges accessing clean water and this is mostly prevalent in the northern region; North-West and North-Central to be specific. On the contrary, 63 percent of Nigerians do not see access to clean water as a challenge to their households. On the impact of lack of access to clean water, 31 percent, which formed the majority, mentioned an increase in their spending as the main impact of this lack, as they are forced to buy water daily with their rather scarce resources. Additionally, 30 percent of the respondents stated that it has affected their health and it can be inferred that this category of respondents are more likely to face unsafe water related ailments such as typhoid fever, diarrhoea, cholera etc. due to the consumption of unsafe water. Also, the poll revealed that 18 percent of the respondents stated that they have to travel far distances to source for water amongst other related impacts of lack of access to clean water. In conclusion, the poll has shown that access to safe and clean water for both domestic use and for drinking is still a challenge to most Nigerian households as borehole is widely used as the primary source of water supply despite some of its long-term effects. Health experts have affirmed that unsafe water has a lot of health implications and 30 percent of those who have challenges in accessing clean water have decried the impact of unsafe water on their health. Poor water supply is a major means for transmission of typhoid fever, cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis A, and other water-borne diseases. Therefore, in order to meet the 6th Goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) which is to ‘Ensure Access to Water and Sanitation for all’, government at all levels needs to urgently provide funds for the provision of improved quality of water and water sources to the citizenry. Finally,though the provision of water supply is capital intensive, it is still a basic necessity for the well-being of Nigerians. Therefore, Public-Private-Partnership programs should be encouraged to attract investors in order to ensure adequate production, distribution and sale of potable water to all. Above all, the Federal Government should fully implement the provisions of the approved 2000 Nigeria’s National Water Supply and Sanitation Policy. Please click here for full report. Survey Method The poll was conducted in the week commencing March 19th, 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, 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 or download our mobile app NOIPolls on your smartphone. WaterAid is working to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. The international not-for-profit organisation works in 34 countries to change the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 25.8 million people with clean water and 25.1 million people with decent toilets. 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://washdata.org/monitoring/drinking-water [2] http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs391/en/ [3]http://www.unwater.org/new-publication-whounicef-joint-monitoring-programme-2017-report/ [4] http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2017/launch-version-report-jmp-water-sanitation-hygiene.pdf [5] https://data.unicef.org/data/drinking-water-sanitation-hygiene-database/

Abuja, Nigeria. March 20th, 2018 – The United Nations (UN) World Happiness Day is observed on the 20th of March annually. The day aims to recognize the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals in the lives of people around the world and the importance of their recognition in public policy objectives. The main theme for 2018 is “Share Happiness – focusing on the importance of relationships, kindness and helping each other”. The day also recognizes the need for a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes sustainable development, poverty eradication, happiness and the well-being of all people. In commemoration of the 2018 World Happiness Day, NOIPolls reflects on findings from its past poll on Personal Well-Being conducted in Q4 2017, which highlighted the satisfaction of Nigerians with respect to various aspects of lives as seen in the chart below. Though the Economic, Standard of Living and Achievement in Life indices were the lowest ranked indicators, the Social Interaction Index which is a vital aspect of happiness was ranked highly and experienced an increase of 1.9-point from Q3, 2017 to stand at 79.4-points in Q4, 2017. This corroborates a report released by a United Kingdom based charity Age UK in 2017, which revealed that staying social is one of the key ways of staying happy. Social activities such as going to the cinema, joining a sports club, or getting involved in a volunteer group are some of the most effective ways of boosting feelings of happiness and well-being, as well as overall health.[1] In line with the Day, the World Happiness Report released by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network for the United Nations on March 14th 2018, ranked Nigeria the 91st happiest nation in the world and 5th in Africa. As revealed by the report, Nigerians seem to be happier now, as the country moved up from her previous position of 95th at the global level and 6th in African in 2017.[2]  Nigeria’s position in the World Happiness Report has shown that despite the economic and security challenges being faced in the country, her citizens strive to remain happy. This substantiates the Q4, 2017 Personal Well-Being Index which revealed a high ranking in social interaction (79.4-points) and health (76.4-points) indices despite the low ranking of the Economic, Standard of Living and Achievement in Life indices. In conclusion, the above goes to show that Nigerians can achieve even greater feats if key government policies tackling mental health, happiness and permanently putting to an end the security and economic crisis in the country are formulated and strongly implemented. 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.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/international-day-of-happiness-2018-how-science-says-you-can-get-happy [2] https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/03/nigeria-is-5th-happiest-country-in-africa-91st-in-world/ [1] http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/international-day-of-happiness-2018-how-science-says-you-can-get-happy [2] https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/03/nigeria-is-5th-happiest-country-in-africa-91st-in-world/

Abuja, Nigeria. March 13th, 2018 – The International Women’s Day (IWD) is observed annually on March 8th and it is a focal point in the movement for women’s rights worldwide. The aim of the day is to achieve global gender equality and the 2018 theme #PressforProgress indicates the need to press forward for the progress of achieving gender parity in the world. In commemoration of the IWD, NOIPolls conducted a poll to assess the perception of Nigerians on leadership capabilities and political representation of women in Nigeria. The poll revealed that 91 percent of adult Nigerians acknowledged that there is a huge gap in  gender equality especially in political representation, mainly due to cultural norms and religious beliefs (29 percent). This is no surprise considering that certain historic values shaped by societies, passed on from generations  have over the years spelt out specific expectations from women in terms of attributes and behaviours such as the creation of gender specific roles . This has led to the labelling of some jobs and/or roles as ‘women’s work’ and ‘men’s work’ both in the household and in the wider community such as in workplaces, as well as in leadership, governance and politics. Interestingly, the poll results also revealed that majority of Nigerians (85 percent) believe that women make great leaders and this assertion cuts across gender, geo-political zones and age-groups. These findings may have been influenced by visible outstanding success stories of  some past and present female leaders  in Nigeria and the world at large. For instance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (former Minister of Finance in Nigeria and currently one of the 28-member Board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization – GAVI), Amina J. Mohammed (Former Minister of Environment in Nigeria and the present Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations), Mo Abudu (renowned media mogul and founder of EbonyLife TV) and Stella Adadevoh (the doctor who died putting her life on the line to save Nigerians from Ebola epidemic) amongst other great Nigerian women have made impact with their leadership qualities over the years. Given this positive perception of Nigerians on Women’s leadership capabilities, a critical issue of concern would be whether this translates into the much desired behavioural change and cultural shift which would shape a more positive narrative for gender equality in Nigeria. Nonetheless, gender equality change agents can capitalise on this positive stance as a soft landing for acceptance of change initiatives. While these change agents are already working hard towards achieving gender equality in Nigeria and around the world, with some milestones being achieved; the World Economic Forum’s 2017 Global Gender Gap Report revealed that it will take about 217 years before the global gender parity is achieved. Thus, there is need for more progressive synergised long-term strategies by stakeholders to tackle the barriers to equality, especially those centred on culture and religion. These are the key findings from the International Women’s Day Poll conducted by NOIPolls in the week commencing March 5th, 2018. Brief Background: International Women’s Day is held on the 8th of March of each year and it is a worldwide event that celebrates women’s achievements and calls for gender equality. The day has been observed since the early 1900s and aims to bring together governments, women’s organizations and charities. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievement without regards to division, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. The theme for 2018 is #PressforProgress which encourages every woman, including stakeholders, to press for progress towards achieving gender equality. In Nigeria, historical evidence had proved that women have for long been playing crucial role in the political life of the country and women have contributed in no small measure in shaping the political system of the country. However, over the years, women have been relegated to the background especially in political representation. This is largely due to the fact that Nigerian politics is highly patriarchal in nature, with men often in lead of the political affairs and women sometimes occupying insignificant postilions. Against this background, NOIPolls conducted this poll to gauge the perception of Nigerians on gender equality, especially in political representation. Survey Findings: The first question aimed at gauging the leadership skills of women and the findings revealed that an overwhelming majority of adult Nigerians acknowledged that women make great leaders. This affirmation cuts across gender, geo-political zones and age-groups, with each demography having over 75 percent of the respondents admitting that women make great leaders. On gender equality in Nigeria, the poll revealed that slightly more than 9 in 10 (91 percent) adult Nigerians stated that there is gender inequality in the country especially in political representations. The North-East (97 percent) and the North-West (95 percent) zones accounted for the largest proportion of Nigerians who think there is gender inequality in the country. On the contrary, 9 percent of the respondents nationwide believe that there is gender equality in the country and residents from the South-East zone (25 percent) had the largest proportion of Nigerians who made this assertion. More findings from the poll revealed that majority of the respondents who think that there is gender inequality blamed cultural norms and religious beliefs (29 percent). Also, 17 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that gender inequality exists in Nigeria is because women are perceived to be weak and lack the capacity to lead amongst all other mentions. On the other hand, respondents who think that there is gender equality were further asked to state the reason for their assertion and most respondents (37 percent) stated that there is gender equality as they notice lots of women in politics in Nigeria. 25 percent also mentioned that women have equal constitutional rightd in the country  while 16 percent of the respondents mentioned that representation should be by merit and not gender. In conclusion, the findings from this poll have shown that there is a huge gap in gender equality in Nigeria as stated by 91 percent of the respondents across gender, geo-political zones and age groups; citing cultural norms and religious beliefs as the major obstacles.  Also, 17 percent mentioned that there is no gender equality in Nigeria because women are perceived to be weak and lack the capacity to lead, considering them as subordinate to their male counterparts. Contrarily, 9 percent of the respondents claimed that there is gender equality mainly because they perceive that a lot of women now participate in politics however, it is still a far cry from the larger proportion (91 percent) who believe that women have little or insignificant political representation in the country. Therefore, existing forms of gender inequality in Nigeria must be addressed and this underlines the need for a deliberate, sensitive, consistent and systematic approach of gender relations which should include gender mainstreaming in all aspects of life. If the concept of democracy allows for diversity of opinion and participation of different groups in Nigeria, then, the same should not exclude women and this can be influenced by passing the Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill (GEOB) by the legislative arm of the government. Finally, the results revealed that majority of Nigerians, 85 percent, affirmed that women make great leaders. Hence, this is a clarion call on all women to wake up to their responsibility of taking the fore front position especially at participating in politics so that they will have a fair share of representation in the polity. Women should defy the general believe that they are best suited as home keepers only and start to take part in decision making. Survey Methods The opinion poll was conducted in the week of March 5th 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%. The demographic distribution of the respondents is divided into the following groups: Gender, age-group, and geo-political zones as illustrated below. The demographic distribution remains the same as 2016. Gender: The proportion of male and female respondents was almost equal with 51 percent and 49 percent respectively. Age-Group: The age-group with the highest frequency was 36-60 with 49%, followed by the 18-35 age-group with 47%. The lowest age-group represented was 60+ with 4%. Geo-Political Zones: All geo-political zones were represented in the survey. The zone with the highest representation was the North-West with 24% while the South-East zone had the lowest representation with 12%. Occupation: The majority of the respondents surveyed were self-employed traders (39%); followed by Government workers/Civil servants (22%). The lowest represented occupation in the survey were Youth Corpers and Religious Leaders/Missionaries (1%). 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 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 and/or thinking. Press Contact The Editor Email: editor@noi-polls.com

Abuja, Nigeria. March 6th 2018– In August 2015, Nigeria experienced a Lassa fever – acute viral haemorrhagic fever – outbreak. In its rapid emergency response to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health adopted the double strategy of treating those affected by the outbreak, as well as carrying out sensitization to raise Nigerians’ awareness about the disease. Consequently, in 2016, NOI Polls in partnership with EpiAfric conducted an opinion survey to ascertain Nigerians’ perception regarding the Lassa fever disease. The survey sought to determine their level of awareness of the disease, its symptoms and mode of transmission, as well as their awareness on possible preventive measures. On the backdrop of the 2016 Lassa Fever Virus Disease Opinion survey, NOI Polls in partnership with EpiAFRIC conducted another opinion survey to assess Nigerians’ level of awareness, with the singular aim of comparing results from both surveys in order to determine how the awareness of Nigerians has changed between 2016 and 2018. A total of 1000 respondents were interviewed in both the 2016 and 2018 surveys, respectively. All geo-political zones were represented in the survey; the proportion of male and female respondents was almost equal; age group surveyed spanned 18 – 60+ years; respondents were traders, civil servants, National Youth Service Corp members and religious leaders. The 2018 survey revealed a sustained high level of awareness about the outbreak though with a percentage drop compared with the 2016 survey. Radio provided the most awareness, a sharp contrast to the previous survey where TV topped the list of sources of awareness about the disease. Rat infected food remained the most identified source of infection even though it dropped from the number of respondents who identified it as the most source of infection. In general, the 2018 survey results reveal a widespread decline in Nigerians’ perception of the Lassa Fever disease. There is also a 15 percent decline in respondents’ level of confidence in their local hospitals and a 9 percent drop in respondents’ perception of the sensitization efforts being carried out by the Ministry of Health on the Lassa Fever disease. The most recent weekly epidemiological report by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) shows “913 suspected cases of Lassa Fever reported from across 17 states. Of this, 272 cases have been confirmed positive and 54 deaths recorded giving a case fatality rate (CFR) of 21%”. Following the increasing number of Lassa fever cases reported from several States across the country, the NCDC has activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to coordinate the response to the outbreak on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health. To show its commitment to working with agencies and partners to ensure that this outbreak is brought under control, the NCDC is collaborating with several organisations to support the response in the affected States. To further demonstrate government’s commitment, to tackling the challenges facing the health sector, an emergency council of health meeting with the aim to deliberate on the state of public health in Nigeria, was organised by the federal ministry of health. The council approved 12 key resolutions (attached) which will be implemented across all states in Nigeria. Results from the 2016 and 2018 surveys indicate that awareness of Lassa Fever, as well as awareness of mode of transmission and what to do to prevent the disease is high. Unfortunately, this does not seem to translate to behavioural changes. Foods are still being dried in the open and people still exhibit poor attitudes to refuse disposal. Health education at the community level, behavioural change communication and proper waste management are effective primary prevention measures. Health workers must observe the strictest standards of infection prevention and control protocols in handling patients suspected of being infected. They must adopt the test and treat practice especially when they suspect a patient has malaria. Please click here for the full report. NOI Polls Limited, No1 for country specific polling services in West Africa. We conduct periodic opinion surveys 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 NOI Polls on your smartphone. EpiAFRIC is a globally competitive, efficient, transparent and financially sustainable African health consultancy group working to improve population health through expert research and data analytics, project design and evaluation, health communication, advocacy and training. Visit www.epiafric.com for more information.

Abuja, Nigeria. February 27th, 2018 – A new report released by NOIPolls to evaluate the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called Petrol has revealed an urgent need for petrol price monitoring across the nation as 86 percent of petrol purchasing Nigerians buy above the official pump price of ₦145 per litre with an average price of ₦199 per litre nationwide. This finding is in line with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) petrol price watch report which revealed that Nigerians buy petrol at an average of ₦191 per litre in January, 2018.[1] Although petrol scarcity appears to have ended especially in Lagos and the FCT, news reports have revealed that motorists in most states in Nigeria buy petrol at prices far above the official ₦145 per litre. In line with this, the Chairman of Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPMAN), Mr. Dapo Abiodun, informed the Federal Government, during a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the recurrent and persistent fuel crisis in Abuja on January 3rd, 2018, that petroleum marketers could no longer sell petrol at ₦145 per litre mainly due to the rise in crude oil prices as a result of Hurricane Harvey in the US. He further explained that it led to a sharp increase in the landing cost of petrol which made the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) the sole importer of petrol in the country.[2] Furthermore, despite NNPC being the sole importer of petrol in the country, this poll has revealed that out of the 72 percent of Nigerians who buy petrol, 56 percent disclosed that they buy petrol from independent marketers’ filling stations where petrol is sold above the official rate of ₦145 per litre. It is therefore pertinent that all the stakeholders in the oil and gas sector, especially the Department for Petroleum Resources (DPR), intensify efforts towards price monitoring exercises to ensure that products allocated to each State of the federation are dispensed to buyers at the official pump price. These are the key highlights from the recent poll conducted to evaluate petrol scarcity across the country. The poll was conducted in the week commencing February, 5th, 2018. Brief Background In the last quarter of 2017, petrol scarcity resurfaced as long queues were seen in filling stations in most cities in Nigeria and petrol hawkers lurked around the major roads to sell petrol to willing buyers. The scarcity was allegedly due to the pronouncement of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) to embark on a nationwide industrial action, scheduled to commence on the 18th, December 2017. It triggered panic buying across the country thus the return of long queues. While most petrol stations did not have petrol, the few ones that had sold above the official pump price of ₦145 per litre[3].The resulting impact of this scarcity was evident in the rise in transportation fares by almost 100 percent, which could also be attributed to the preparations for the yuletide season.[4] Similarly, on January 31st, 2018 precisely, it was rumoured that the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) had given a 15 day ultimatum as it threatened to stop dispatching petrol at some depots due to the bad state of some roads in the country. This further made petrol remain in short supply, with attendant high prices as it was alleged that some marketers were hoarding the product to make more money.[5] Experience has shown that there is always a corresponding rise in the prices of goods and services whenever there is either an upward review of petrol price or scarcity in Nigeria. It is not different in this regard, as there have been a lot of complaints from Nigerians about the exorbitant price of petrol as a result of the petrol scarcity in the country. Against this background, NOIPolls conducted a poll to monitor the current price of petrol across the country. SURVEY FINDINGS The first question gauged the proportion of Nigerians who buy petrol and findings revealed that a vast majority (72 percent) of adult Nigerians confirmed they buy petrol, this may be either for their vehicles or to power other petrol powered machines such as generators, grinding machines etc. This response cuts across gender, geo-political zones and age groups with each demography having over 50 percent of the respondents indicating that they buy petrol. Poll results revealed that most Nigerians (56 percent) buy petrol from Independent Marketer’s filling stations and residents from the South-East had the highest percentage of respondents in this category with 78 percent representation. While 23 percent mentioned Major Marketers’ filling stations, it is interesting to note that 12 percent of the respondents buy from Black Market sellers (Street Hawkers) and only 9 percent indicated that they buy from the NNPC Mega Stations. The prevailing price of petrol was also ascertained and results revealed that an overwhelming proportion (86 percent) of Nigerians disclosed that they buy petrol above the official price of ₦145 and this assertion cuts across gender, geo-political zones and age groups with each demography having over 70 percent of the respondents indicating that they buy petrol above the official price in their respective region. Further analysis revealed that of all the various prices mentioned by respondents, Nigerians buy a litre of petrol for an average price of ₦199 nationwide. Also, residents in the North-West zone pay the highest average price of ₦221 for a litre of Petrol, while the respondents resident in the South-West zone pay the lowest average price of ₦179 per litre. In conclusion, this poll has revealed that although petrol scarcity seems to have disappeared, most Nigerians buy petrol above the official price of ₦145 per litre and at an average of ₦199 per litre nationwide. Also, the poll finding has shown that majority of Nigerians buy petrol from Independent Marketer’s filling stations across Nigeria and almost all of the respondents claimed that they buy at a price that is above the pump price. This is a wakeup call for the NNPC, DPR and other government parastatals in charge of monitoring and regulation to ensure that the official pump price of ₦145 per litre is strictly adhered to by the marketers and to also make certain that they continue to arrest and prosecute marketers found to be involved in the hoarding and diversion of petroleum products. Finally, the NNPC, Major marketers and Independent marketers must synergize to resolve the issues resulting in price challenges which had made the dispensing prices vary among various marketers of the product. Survey Method The poll was conducted in the week commencing February 5th, 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 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.pulse.ng/news/local/nbs-says-nigerians-buy-petrol-at-n191-litre-id8002109.html [2] https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/01/subsidy-removal-caused-fuel-scarcity-dapman/ [3] http://thenationonlineng.net/ngige-pengassan-shelve-planned-strike/ [4] https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/253319-two-days-christmas-fuel-scarcity-worsens-across-nigeria.html [5]http://nnpcgroup.com/PublicRelations/NNPCinthenews/tabid/92/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/955/Dont-Engage-in-Panic-Buying-We-are-Engaging-Petroleum-Tanker-Drivers-Says-NNPC.aspx

Abuja, Nigeria. February 20th, 2018 – The recent suggestion and support by the Vice President and the 36 state Governors for the creation of State Police is in line with the opinions of Nigerians as captured in a past survey conducted by NOIPolls in 2017. The survey revealed that a larger proportion of Nigerians (61 percent) pledged their support for the creation of state police as shown in the figure below. The clamour for State Police in Nigeria surprisingly got a boost on Thursday February 8th 2018, when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo publicly backed the call for the decentralisation of the Nigerian Police during a National Security Summit organised by the Nigerian Senate in Abuja. According to the Vice President, “We cannot realistically police a country the size of Nigeria centrally from Abuja. State police and other community policing methods are clearly the way to go”[1]. It is worth noting that the North-West (69 percent), the North-East (68 percent) and the North-Central (65 percent) zones accounted for the largest proportion of Nigerians who showed their support for the creation of state police. This is not surprising as these regions have had a fair share of security challenges. For instance, the high occurrence of cattle rustling in the North-West, Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, and the farmers and herders’ clashes in the North-Central have continued to pose serious security challenges to the inhabitants of these regions; not to mention the loss of lives and properties as well as displacement of people. Reflecting on this finding, the CEO of NOIPolls, Dr. Bell Ihua, stated “This shows that our leaders are now listening to the opinions of Nigerians”. He further noted that “…security has been a major challenge and calls for proactive measures that will take into account the views of Nigerians in tackling these security challenges”. Also supporting the creation of state police, the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara on behalf of the 36 state governors, declared support for the creation of state police in the country during a two-day summit organised by the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Review of Current Security Infrastructure in Nigeria[2]. The continued security challenges that have engulfed Nigeria has proven that securing Nigeria’s land mass and its over 180 million people requires more equipment and personnel who are more familiar with the indigenes and terrain to help detect and uproot any emerging crime. Furthermore, the creation of state police would foster a close relationship within communities, thereby enhancing greater information sharing with the police. Also, the issue of familiarity which hinders effective information sharing between law enforcement and members of the public would be overcome. For instance, residents of Borno state are more likely to be familiar with a Cameroonian from the Extreme North region than they would be with a Nigerian from the South-South. In other words, sending an Ijaw policeman, who is a neither resident nor an indigene, to serve in Borno is not the most effective way of policing a society. On the other hand, in terms of implementation of state police, all the states in Nigeria may not be able to afford an optimum police force mainly based on varying Internally Generated Revenue capacities. For instance, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Nigeria Poverty Profile in 2012, a state like Lagos has a poverty rate of 8.5 percent, compared to Yobe which has a poverty rate of 90 percent.[3] Therefore, these numbers clearly show that the quality of the state police force will differ from state to state based on economic disparities. In conclusion, it is worth emphasising an important aspect of the 2017 survey by NOIPolls which revealed that a significant proportion of Nigerians support the clamour for state police. The reasons are not far-fetched as some of the stakeholders in the security sector in Nigeria have decried the suitability of a unitary police system in curbing security issues, especially those matters that are peculiar to some regions. Although, some segments of Nigerians have pointed out some challenges that might militate against setting up state police in Nigeria such as poor funding, misuse or hijack by politicians to hunt down perceived political enemies, operational deficiencies in dealing with crime, and possible clash with the federal police at some instances. A consensus can be reached where the responsibility of each establishment (Federal and State Police) would be clearly spelt out. Therefore, the most essential aspect of state police creation is the formulation of legal frameworks that would guide and moderate the modus operandi of the state policing system so that it would not be abused in the manners that are stated above. 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.businessdayonline.com/state-police-desirable/ [2] https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/258416-nigerian-governors-back-state-police.html [3] http://bulwarkintelligence.com/reports/security-threats/son-of-the-soil-the-case-for-state-police/

Abuja, Nigeria. February 13th, 2018 – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Radio Day is observed on 13th February annually. The day aims to improve international cooperation between broadcasters, and to encourage major networks as well as minor radio communities to promote public access to information and freedom of expression. The main theme for 2018 is “Radio and Sports” and this is further divided into three sub-themes; “Diversity in Sports Coverage”, which highlights how radio can promote diversity in sports through coverage of “traditional” and grassroots games enabling people to “reconnect” with their cultural heritage. Secondly, “Gender Equality in Sports Coverage”, focuses on the role of sports coverage in shaping stereotypes and norms about gender and how radio may have the ability to promote a balanced coverage of men and women’s sports. Finally, the third sub-theme, “Peace and Development through Sports Coverage”, puts emphasis on the ways sports coverage can promote peace and development initiatives, values of non-violence as well as solidarity and tolerance.[1] In the light of this, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, speaking during the lead up to this year’s celebration stated that radio reaches the widest audience in the world and that in an era of dramatic advances in communications, radio has retained its power to entertain, educate, inform and inspire. He further stated that radio can unite and empower communities and give voice to the marginalized as well as recognizing the many ways in which sports broadcasting brings people together in excitement and hopes for achievements.[2] In commemoration of the 2018 World Radio Day, NOIPolls reflects on findings from its past poll on sources of information for Nigerians conducted in August 2017, which highlighted radio (50 percent) as the most important source of information amongst other sources, as seen in the chart below. From time past, radio has been known to be a critical tool for information disemmination and communication; playing a major role in the development of the nation, especially in the rural areas. Moreover, it is popular as a result of its wide reach to a heterogeneous audience; and it remains the most appropriate for a rural population (56 percent) mainly due to cost and accessibility by an audience with varying levels of literacy. The upswing of new media (commonly known as social media), boosted by advanced information technology devices and increasing internet penetration was expected to bring the reign of radio as the most common source of information to an end. While the trended chart below highlighted a dramatic increase in the use of social media from 2007 to 2015, radio still remained the main source of information in Nigeria. In 2015, radio declined by a significant 24-points when compared to 2013, nevertheless, it remained the most common source of information within that period and in recent data. In line with the findings above and the theme for the 2018 day, radio stations in Nigeria can act as a medium for promoting diversity, gender equality as well as peace and development through coverage of international and grassroots traditional sports; that connect Nigerians across all regions particularly in rural areas. The emphasis on sports in the 2018 theme is no surprise, as sports ordinarily include a far-reaching and inclusive spectrum of activities suitable to people of all ages and capabilities. Besides its participatory and inclusive nature, it has the distinctive influence to attract, mobilize and inspire people from diverse background. Furthermore, the essential values of sports such as teamwork, fairness, discipline, respect for the opponent and the rules of the game can be harnessed in the advancement of solidarity, social cohesion and peaceful co-existence. An example of a sports peacebuilding initiative is the annual football tournament for local youth football clubs and high schools in Kano, the Channels National Kids Cup and the NNPC/Shell Cup which constantly aims to unite and make people of diverse background understand and appreciate each other’s beliefs, values and way of life better thereby promoting tolerance and a peaceful Nigeria. In the area of gender equality in sports, while there has been some social change in women’s participation in sports over the years as a result of education and international relations, there still exists some level of discrimination in the participation of women in sports in Nigeria and this can be seen in the poor coverage of women sporting activities and poor recognition of female sports team and stars.[3] For instance, the 2017 season of the Nigerian Women Premier League (NWPF), the highest division for female football in Nigeria which began on 25th March 2017 was never televised as the League Management Company (LMC) failed to secure television rights. On the contrary, the male league, Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) was televised as LMC secured a television rights deal worth $34 million with satellite broadcaster Supersports.[4] The high coverage of women sports through radio can go a long way in reshaping the narrative for women’s participation in sports thereby emphasising the need for equal opportunity for Nigerian women and men in sports. Finally, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to improve on fundamental freedoms, and promote public access to information in Nigeria which encourages good governance and the rule of law; in countering discrimination, radio can provide an accessible and real-time medium to bridge divides and strengthen dialogue. This year’s UNESCO commemoration is a call for greater participation of audiences and communities in Nigeria in the policy and planning of radio broadcasting. More than simple on-air interaction, public participation should include processes such as audience engagement policies, listener forums and complaints resolution procedures. UNESCO invites all radio stations and supporting organisations to join in the 2018 celebration, a chance to strengthen diversity, peace and development through sports broadcasting. 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://planeta.com/world-radio-day-2018/ [2] https://radioinfo.com.au/news/radio-reaches-widest-audience-world-un-secretary-general [3] https://guardian.ng/sport/nigeria-can-win-world-cup-if-women-are-treated-fairly-says-onome-ebi/ [4] http://venturesafrica.com/nigeria-football-league-gets-34m-tv-rights-deal/

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/