NOI-Gallup Poll: Educated Nigerians Believe More In The Power Of “Connections” Than The Uneducated

But Nigerians Generally Vote For Economic Progress Through Hard Work

Lagos, Nigeria – 6^th February, 2007 – The more educated Nigerians are, the more they believe in the power of “connections” and the less they believe hard work is the critical ingredient for progress in our society. Conversely, the least educated Nigerians believe most that hard work is the single most important factor in economic advancement in our society.

This was a surprising finding of the NOI-GALLUP Polls released in February 2008. In the survey, conducted according to the rigorous standards of Gallup – a leading global polling organisation – respondents were asked the question:  “What is the single most important factor in economic progress in Nigeria?” The options given were Hard work, Academic or Professional Qualifications, Connections, Ethnic Group, Gender and Other factors.

According to results released from the poll, about 53% of Nigerians with primary school education or less say that hard work is the single most important factor for economic progress in Nigeria. Comparatively, 47% of Nigerians who are educated up to secondary school level and 43% of those with some form of tertiary education rank hard work as most important.

Overall, the poll found that:

- The largest percentage of Nigerians -  about one in two or 49%  believe that hard work, more than anything else determines whether or not you become rich in this country.

- Nationally, 17% of Nigerians believe that connections (also popularly known as ‘man know man’) is the single most important factor for economic progress in Nigeria.

- Moreover, 29% of Nigerians overall believe that professional or academic qualifications is the principal factor that determines individual economic progress.

In another fascinating revelation, the survey found that the only part of the country that did not choose hard work as the main driver for economic progress in Nigeria is the South-South. The highest proportion of respondents from the South-South region of the country selected ‘connections’ as the main determinant of economic progress. A possible explanation is that the well documented neglect and attendant misery in the region despite it abundant oil wealth has made the people understandably unenthusiastic about virtues such as hard work.

Also significant are the results from the North Central which show that the region has the greatest number of Nigerians who believe in the power of hard work (59%) and the least number of those who consider academic and professional qualifications as most important (19%)

Details of other regional results:

Generally, it is clear from the results that most Nigerians don’t consider gender and ethnic group as an important factor in economic progress. Overall, about 2% of Nigerians believe that ‘tribe’ was the principal determinant of economic progress, while about 1% attributed economic progress to one’s gender.

About NOI Polls

NOI Polls is a Nigeria-based opinion research organisation that works in partnership with Gallup Poll (USA) to conduct periodic scientific opinion polls in Nigeria. These polls survey citizens’ views, attitudes, and perceptions on a variety of social and economic issues such as governance, market trends, management of the economy, health and welfare, and the performance of government and private sector institutions. Information from the poll is aimed at supporting decision-making by business executives and government policymakers. The second NOI-Gallup Nigeria national poll was conducted in November 2007, and released in February 2008. The poll involved face-to-face interviews conducted across Nigeria in five languages (English, Hausa, Ibo, Pidgin English, and Yoruba). Further information about NOI Polls is available online at www.noi-polls.com.

Press Contact:

Paul Nwabuikwu

Director of Communications, NOI Polls

4 Dep Street, Off Danube Street,

Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria

Tel: 09-6709171

Email : pnwabuikwu@noi-polls.com

Robot  # 1 | 11.02.2008 23:28

A recent opinion poll shows that the more educated Nigerians are, the more they b...Read the full article.

EezeeBee  # 2 | 12.02.2008 09:14

As hard as it is for me to accept, the more I read the national newspapers, the more I see that there is a deliberate and calculated attempt in some segments of the so-called 'South western press axis' to disdain the Niger delta and dismiss the very real concerns emanating from there. In a story contained in the print version of the newspaper, a crucial component of the story was omitted from this paragraph: In another fascinating revelation, the survey found that the only part of the country that did not choose hard work as the main driver for economic progress in Nigeria is the South-South. The highest proportion of respondents from the South-South region of the country selected ‘connections’ as the main determinant of economic progress. A possible explanation is that the well documented neglect and attendant misery in the region despite it's abundant oil wealth has made the people understandably unenthusiastic about virtues such as hard work. On the online version of the same story, it was contained (maybe because they know that those who access information online have so many more sources from which to compare). Why, I ask, would the editor of the print version, which likely gets more readership than the online version, omit that crucial portion of the story? Is it that he disrespects his readers and doesn't believe they deserve the full context, OR is it another deliberate effort to portray those from the South-South as a bunch of loafers, who don't believe in hard work? Whatever the case, Punch Ag. Editor STEVE AYORINDE should note that when the scrolls of infamy are unfurled, he will take pride of place near the top of the page.