A new survey conducted by Chatham House in partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed a deep crisis of trust between Nigerians and their government institutions.

The study, released under the Social Norms and Accountable Governance Project, ranked the Nigeria Police Force, the Presidency under Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the federal government as the least trusted institutions in the country.

According to the findings, nearly half of Nigerians—about 46 percent—said they “greatly distrust” the police, with only seven percent expressing strong confidence in the force. The presidency performed slightly better but still poorly, with 36 percent of respondents reporting deep distrust. Similarly, 35 percent said they had little to no trust in the federal government.

The report stated:
“Corruption has not only weakened Nigeria’s economy but corroded public trust in governance, fuelling repeated crises of legitimacy. Decades of failed reforms and selective justice have entrenched this nationwide distrust.”

Other public bodies did not fare much better. The judiciary, state politicians, and local councils were flagged as weak points of public confidence, with many Nigerians saying decisions are influenced more by political loyalty than accountability.

The survey also revealed a troubling paradox. While 59 percent of Nigerians admitted that “power matters more than honesty” in their communities, a much larger share—73 percent—said they feel bad when others are exploited. Researchers explained that this contradiction reflects a survivalist mindset shaped by economic hardship, but also an enduring hunger for fairness and justice.

Despite the grim picture, the report found a silver lining: almost half of Nigerians expressed readiness to monitor public spending in their communities. Chatham House noted that this level of civic engagement is higher than the global threshold required for effective citizen-led accountability.

The study recommended that Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies capitalize on this civic readiness by empowering citizens to demand transparency and accountability. It further warned that President Tinubu’s ongoing push to broaden the country’s tax base is unlikely to succeed unless citizens are confident that government revenues will be used transparently.

Ultimately, the report posed a stark challenge to Nigeria: how to lower the “cost of being honest” in a system where corruption is entrenched and formal institutions are widely distrusted.