70% of Nigerians believe government misleads public – Edelman Trust Report

By Kunle Sanni

A new survey by the Edelman Trust Barometer has revealed deepening mistrust among Nigerians toward the government, with 70 percent of respondents believing that the government intentionally misleads the public.

Unveiled in Lagos on Wednesday, the 2025 edition of the Edelman Trust Barometer paints a stark picture of growing civic frustration in Nigeria amid worsening economic conditions and governance challenges.

The report also highlights widespread resentment toward the country’s wealthy elite. According to the findings, 62 percent of Nigerians believe the rich do not pay their fair share of taxes, while 74 percent blame the selfishness of the wealthy for many of the nation’s pressing social and economic problems.

Presenting the findings, Wandile Cindi, Senior Strategist and Reputation Advisor at Edelman Africa, said the data reflects a “crisis of grievance” gripping the country. “Seven in 10 Nigerians feel deliberately misled by the government,” Cindi said, adding that the public is increasingly distrustful of institutional motives and transparency.

The survey further revealed that 52 percent of Nigerians now support hostile activism as a legitimate way to drive change, signaling rising discontent and a readiness for more confrontational forms of civic engagement.

While trust in NGOs, businesses, and the media has seen a modest uptick, the government remains the least trusted institution in the country. It received dismal ratings in both competence and ethics, scoring -46 and -31, respectively.

Despite a marginal increase in Nigeria’s overall trust index—from 61 in 2024 to 65 in 2025—Edelman warned that this improvement masks growing dissatisfaction linked to economic hardship, inequality, and lack of accountability.

This year’s edition, themed Trust and Crisis of Grievance, marks the 25th anniversary of the Edelman Trust Barometer, a global survey that tracks public trust in government, business, NGOs, and media across more than 30 countries.