March 28, 2018//-More than one-third of Nigerians repeatedly went without basic life necessities during the previous year, placing them in the category of “moderate lived poverty” or “high lived poverty,” a recent Afrobarometer survey revealed.
While about half of Nigerians went without enough food (51%), medical care (48%), cooking fuel (47%), or water (41%) at least once during the previous year.
Survey findings also show that among Nigerians who tried to access certain public services, large proportions say it was difficult, took “a long time,” and required the payment of a bribe to obtain certain services.
Despite government efforts to combat corruption, citizens’ responses indicate that access to basic public service remains riddled with bribery.
Key findings
■ More than one-third of Nigerians experienced “moderate lived poverty” (27%) or “high lived poverty” (10%) during the previous year, meaning they repeatedly went without basic life necessities.
■ About half of Nigerians went without enough food (51%), medical care (48%), cooking fuel (47%), or water (41%) at least once during the previous year.
More than three-fourths (77%) went without a cash income at least once.
■ Among Nigerians who tried to obtain certain public services during the previous year: – Majorities say it was “difficult” or “very difficult” to obtain identity documents (65%), police assistance (64%), and household utility services (59%)
– Majorities say they had to wait “a long time” to obtain police assistance and identity documents, or else they never received them.
Access to medical care was relatively faster . – More than two-thirds (68%) say they had to pay a bribe to obtain police assistance. Substantial proportions (20% to 44%) say they had to pay a bribe to obtain other services.
Instructively, 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.
African Eye Report
