By Olawale Olalekan, https://panatlantickompass.com/
AS NIGERIA marks another Democracy Day, a new public opinion poll has revealed a disconnect between the country’s democratic practices and the reality experienced by its citizens.
The nationwide poll conducted ahead of the 2026 Democracy Day, released by premier polling agency NOIPolls, disclosed that an overwhelming 72% of Nigerians are dissatisfied with the current state of democracy in the country.
Within this group, 46% stated that they are “not satisfied at all,” while 26% identify as “not satisfied.”
Conversely, only 21% of respondents express any satisfaction with the nation’s democratic progression.
The data highlights stark geographic disparities in how democratic governance is perceived across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
Dissatisfaction peaks sharply in the southern regions, while parts of the north report relatively higher tolerance.
South-East: 58% dissatisfaction rate
South-South: 56% dissatisfaction rate
North-East: 33% dissatisfaction rate (the lowest recorded dissatisfaction in the country)
Further breakdown of the poll revealed that the 72% who are unhappy with the current system, the dissatisfaction is fueled by systemic governance, socio-economic failures, and insecurity.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the 2026 Democracy Day opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing June 1st, 2026.
It involved computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) of a proportionate nationwide sample of 1,000 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geo-political regions and 36 states and the FCT of the country.
Interviews were conducted in 4 Nigerian languages: Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Pidgin English, and English.
The report reads in part: “The reasons behind this dissatisfaction are rooted in core governance failures. For instance, among dissatisfied respondents, increased insecurity (31%), poor dividends of democracy (20%), economic hardship (19%), and poor governance (17%) are the primary drivers. For satisfied respondents, freedom of expression (26%) is the leading factor, followed by preference for democracy over military rule (13%), improved security (11%), and good governance (11%). Further evidence from the poll shows that insecurity and poor governance/leadership are viewed as the most critical obstacles to democratic progress, each cited by 25% of respondents as major challenges to democracy, alongside a poor economy (11%) and corruption (9%). Together, these findings indicate that Nigerians’ dissatisfaction stems from a perceived failure of democracy to deliver safety, economic welfare, and accountable leadership.
“This perception is reflected in citizens’ evaluation of government performance across sectors. Data from the poll indicate that performance is rated poorly in areas most critical to daily life. For instance, security receives a 72% “Very Poor” rating, followed by electricity (57%), foreign policy (49%), and the economy (48%). Education performs comparatively better with the highest “Good” rating at 22%, followed by infrastructure and science & technology at 21% each. The contrast suggests that while Nigerians acknowledge modest gains in education and infrastructure, the sectors tied to personal safety and livelihoods are seen as failing, undermining confidence in the democratic process.
“Despite widespread dissatisfaction, civic engagement remains strong, though it coexists with deep institutional distrust. The 2026 Democracy Day poll finds that 92% of Nigerians report having voted before, with participation consistent across gender and zones, from 88% in the South-East to 95% in the North-East. It also shows that 80% last voted in the 2023 elections. Yet the data reveal low public trust in institutions, with INEC receiving the highest “Cannot be trusted at all” rating at 47%, followed by legislators (43%) and the EFCC (40%). Respondents further assessed INEC’s efficiency and fairness poorly, with 58% rating it as “Poor” or “Very Poor.” This paradox is explained by citizen perceptions: 39% cite the belief that “my vote doesn’t count” as the reason for low turnout, with lack of trust in politicians (19%) and INEC (16%) as additional factors. This points to a democracy where citizens participate out of persistence rather than confidence.
“Amid these challenges, optimism about democracy’s future persists but varies by region. The poll indicates that 71% of Nigerians remain optimistic about democracy’s future, with 45% “very optimistic” and 26% “optimistic.” Optimism is highest in the North-West (64%) and North-East (56%), and lowest in the South-East (25%) and South-South (25%). Respondents also identified clear priorities for the next year. For instance, security (74%), education (45%), healthcare (28%), and the economy (28%). These priorities align directly with the sources of dissatisfaction, indicating that citizens see democratic legitimacy as dependent on measurable improvements in safety and service delivery. These are some of the key findings from the Democracy Day Poll conducted in the week commencing June 1st, 2026.
“Nationwide, 46% of Nigerians are not satisfied at all with democratic rule, and an additional 26% are simply not satisfied, totaling 72% dissatisfaction. Conversely, 12% are satisfied, and 9% are very satisfied, bringing the total satisfaction to 21%, with 7% remaining neutral. Dissatisfaction is notably high in the South-East (58% not satisfied at all) and South-South (56% not satisfied at all) zones. At the same time, the North-East reports a considerably lower level, with 33% of respondents indicating they are not satisfied at all.
“Among those dissatisfied, increased insecurity (31%), poor dividends of democracy (20%), economic hardship (19%), and poor governance (17%) are the primary reasons cited. For satisfied respondents, freedom of expression (26%) is the leading factor, followed by the preference for democracy over military rule (13%), improved security (11%), and good governance (11%). A notable 13% of satisfied respondents could not articulate a specific reason for their contentment.
“Insecurity and poor governance/leadership are perceived as the major challenges to democracy in Nigeria, both cited by 25% of respondents. Other significant challenges include a poor economy (11%) and corruption (9%). Weak government institutions (6%), ethnicity (3%), electoral processes (3%), self-interest/greed (3%), and lack of respect for the rule of law (3%) also contribute to the perceived obstacles to democratic progress.
“Government performance is largely rated poorly across key sectors. Security received the highest “Very Poor” rating at 72%, followed by Electricity (57%), Foreign Policy (49%), and Economy (48%). Conversely, Education received the highest “Good” rating at 22%, followed by Infrastructure and Science & Technology, both at 21%.”
