News release
A large majority of Nigerians disapprove of the government’s decision to remove fuel subsidies, with more than half calling for their reinstatement even at the expense of other key sectors such as health and education, the latest Afrobarometer survey shows.
Almost two years after the elimination of the subsidies, public dissatisfaction with the country’s economic direction has reached record levels. More than nine in 10 Nigerians say the country is heading in the wrong direction.
Nearly as many citizens say the economy is in bad shape, while three-fourths report poor personal living conditions.
The most important problem that Nigerians want the government to address is the increasing cost of living, followed by crime and security, poverty, unemployment, management of the economy, and electricity.
Key findings
▪ A large majority of respondents “disapprove” (33%) or “strongly disapprove” (52%) of the government’s decision to remove fuel subsidies. Only 12% approve of their removal (Figure 1).
▪ Almost six in 10 (58%) say the government should reinstate fuel subsidies even if this means reducing other important expenditures such as health or education (Figure 2).
▪ More than nine in 10 Nigerians (93%) say the country is going in “the wrong direction.” This represents increases of 30 percentage points since 2017 (63%) and 4 points since the most recent survey in 2022 (89%) (Figure 3).
▪ Nearly nine in 10 citizens (88%) say the country’s economic condition is “fairly bad” or “very bad,” up 30 percentage points from 2020 (Figure 4). o And three-fourths (74%) report poor personal living conditions.
The increasing cost of living (33%) is the most frequently cited problem that Nigerians want the government to address, followed by crime and security (31%), poverty (27%), unemployment (27%), management of the economy (25%), and electricity (25%) (Figure 5).
Afrobarometer surveys
Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Nine survey rounds in up to 42 countries have been completed since 1999. Round 10 surveys were launched in January 2024. Afrobarometer’s national partners conduct face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice.
The Afrobarometer team in Nigeria, led by NOIPolls, interviewed a nationally representative, random, stratified probability sample of 1,600 adult Nigerians between 19 June and 17 July 2024. A sample of this size yields country-level results with a margin of error of +/-2.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Previous standard surveys were conducted in Nigeria in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020, and 2022.
Charts
Figure 1: Views on government's decision to remove fuel subsidies | Nigeria | 2024
Respondents were asked: Do you approve or disapprove of the government’s decision to remove fuel subsidies, or haven’t you heard enough to say?
Figure 2: Should fuel subsidies be reinstated? | Nigeria | 2024
Respondents were asked: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: The Nigerian government should reinstate fuel subsidies even if this means reducing other important expenditures such as health or education?
Figure 3: Overall direction of the country | Nigeria | 2012-2024
Respondents were asked: Would you say that the country is going in the wrong direction or going in the right direction?
Figure 4: Negative assessments of the country’s economic condition and personal living conditions | Nigeria | 2012-2024
Respondents were asked: In general, how would you describe: The present economic condition of this country? Your own present living conditions?
Figure 5: Most important problems | Nigeria | 2024
Respondents were asked: In your opinion, what are the most important problems facing this country that government should address? (Respondents could give up to three answers. Figure shows % of respondents who cite each problem as one of their three priorities.)
For more information, please contact:
NOIPolls
Raphael Mbaegbu
Telephone: +234 63292096
Email: rmbaegbu@noi-polls.com
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