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Nigerians are optimistic about the country’s economic prospects, even if things are still far from rosy, a recent Afrobarometer survey indicates.
An overwhelming majority of Nigerians believe the economy will be better in a year’s time, although a majority see current economic conditions as bad and the country as going in the wrong direction.
More than one-third of Nigerians repeatedly went without basic life necessities during the previous year, and many say that obtaining public services was difficult, took “a long time,” and required the payment of a bribe.
Nigeria’s economy has been showing signs of improvement after a 2016 recession blamed mainly on low oil revenues and unchecked corruption.
Economic projections have been positive, including expected gross domestic product (GDP) growth of about 2.6% in 2018.
However, almost half (47%) of the country’s population still live in poverty while eight out 10 Nigerians live on less than $2 a day, according to the World Poverty Clock and the African Development Bank Group.
Key findings
A majority (60%) of Nigerians say the country’s economic condition is “fairly bad” or “very bad”. Almost the same proportion (57%), however, describe their personal living conditions as “fairly good” or “very good.”
Almost half (48%) of Nigerians say the country’s economic condition is “worse” or “much worse” than a year ago. But an overwhelming majority (82%) are optimistic that things will be “better” or “much better” in 12 months’ time.
The government receives a favourable performance rating on fighting corruption (59% of citizens say it is doing “fairly well” or “very well”) but not on managing the economy (33%), improving living standards of the poor (25%), creating jobs (25%), ensuring food security (19%), keeping prices stable (18%), and narrowing income gaps (16%).
About one-third of Nigerians experienced “moderate lived poverty” (27%) or “high lived poverty” (10%) during the previous year (Figure 4). About half went without enough food (51%), medical care (48%), and cooking fuel (47%) at least once, while more than three-fourths (77%) went without a cash income.
Afrobarometer survey
Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan research network that conducts public attitude surveys on democracy, governance, economic conditions, and related issues across more than 35 countries in Africa. Six rounds of surveys were conducted between 1999 and 2015, and Round 7 surveys (2016/2018) are currently underway.
Afrobarometer conducts face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice with nationally representative samples.
The Afrobarometer national partners in Nigeria, CLEEN Foundation and Practical Sampling International, interviewed a nationally representative, random, stratified probability sample of 1,600 adult Nigerians between 26 April and 10 May 2017.
A sample of this size yields country-level results with a margin of error of +/-2% at a 95% confidence level. Previous surveys have been conducted in Nigeria in 1999, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012, and 2014.
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