A new report by Edelman Trust Barometer unveiled in Lagos on Wednesday revealed Nigerians’ perceptions of the government, businesses, and the rich.
The report also reveals that a percentage of Nigerians feel the system favours the privileged few at their expense.
The Edelman Trust Barometer is an annual global survey that measures public trust in four key institutions: government, business, NGOs, and media.
In Nigeria, where economic hardship, insecurity, and governance challenges persist, the Trust Barometer offers a valuable lens into how citizens feel—and where they are placing their hope or discontent.
The 2025 edition is particularly significant as it marks 25 years of tracking trust globally at a time of intensifying civic frustration and calls for reform.
First launched in 2001, it has become a widely referenced benchmark for understanding how people worldwide perceive institutional integrity, competence, and ethics.
The report, tagged Trust and Crisis of Grievance, was launched to mark the 25th anniversary of the Edelman Trust Barometer in reshaping thoughts due to grievances people hold.
In a keynote address, Wandile Cindi, Senior Strategist and Reputation Advisor at Edelman Africa explained that the survey results show seven out of 10 Nigerians hold grievances against the government for purposely misleading the people.
He said the report states that 62 per cent agree that the rich do not pay their fair share of taxes, while 74 per cent said the selfishness of the rich causes many of Nigeria’s problems affecting ordinary citizens.
Due to unending challenges, he noted that about 52 per cent of Nigerians support hostile activism to drive change across the country.
The report noted that while trust in other institutions, such as NGOs, businesses, and the media, has slightly improved, the government remains the least trusted. Its competence and ethics were rated -46 and -31, respectively.
Although Nigeria’s overall trust index rose marginally from 61 in 2024 to 65 in 2025, Mr Cindi warned that worsening economic anxiety is fuelling growing discontent.
“There’s been a significant increase in job-related fears — from automation to offshoring,” he noted. “Even employers, long seen as trustworthy, are experiencing a decline in public confidence.”
