FY 2024 Nigeria Country Opinion Survey Report ECR Business Intelligence Team | February 2025 Acknowledgements The Nigeria Country Opinion Survey is part of the Country Opinion Survey Program series of the World Bank Group. This report was prepared by the Business Intelligence (BI) team, led by José De Buerba (Senior External Affairs Officer) and Svetlana Markova (Senior External Affairs Officer). Yulia Danilina, Jessica Cameron, Nan Lin, and Sofya Gubaydullina oversaw the design, reporting, and analysis of the survey results. Noreen Wambui and Irina Popova provided data support. BI acknowledges the significant contribution from the Nigerian country team and the independent field agency, NOIPolls Limited. In particular, BI is grateful for the support from Mansir Nasir (Senior External Affairs Officer) and Maryam Amba Laushi (External Affairs Officer), who coordinated the survey-related activities in Abuja, Nigeria. Contents Objectives Methodology Overview Overall Context Overall Attitudes Toward the World Bank Group World Bank Group’s Support for Development Areas World Bank Group’s Engagement on the Ground in Nigeria World Bank Group’s Financial Instruments and Knowledge Work The Future Role of the World Bank Group in Nigeria Communication and Outreach Sample Demographics and Detailed Methodology 3 Objectives This survey was designed to assist the World Bank Group (WBG) in gaining a better understanding of how stakeholders in Nigeria perceive the WBG. The survey explored the following questions: 1. Overall Context: How familiar are stakeholders with the WBG? How much do they trust the WBG? 2. Key Indicators: What opinions do key stakeholders have of the WBG regarding its effectiveness, relevance, alignment with Nigeria’s development priorities, and other key indicators? Are opinions improving or declining? 3. Development Priorities: What areas of development are perceived to be the most important? Have the priorities changed over the past three years? How effective is the WBG perceived to be in these areas? 4. Engagement on the Ground: How is the WBG perceived as a development partner in Nigeria? Are opinions improving or declining? 5. Financial Instruments and Knowledge Work: What do key stakeholders value the most regarding the WBG’s work in Nigeria? What opinion do key stakeholders have of WBG financial instruments and knowledge products? Are opinions improving or declining? What are stakeholders’ suggestions for improving WBG’s effectiveness? 6. Communication and Outreach: What are the preferred communication channels? Are there differences among stakeholder groups in terms of preferred channels? 7. Message Recall: What key topics does the WBG communicate that stakeholders recall? Is there a relationship between message recall and views of the WBG’s work? 4 Methodology Overview Government Institution 25% ▪ Fielded April – July 2024 ▪ 526 potential participants were asked to complete a mostly quantitative survey Private Sector 15% ▪ Respondents received the questionnaire via courier and returned it accordingly or completed the questionnaire online Civil Society 14% ▪ List of names provided by the WBG country team and supplemented by the field agency Academia / Research Centers 10% ▪ Process managed on the ground by the field agency ▪ 271 participants (52% response rate) Media 9% ▪ 30% from North Central, 19% from South West ▪ 56% currently collaborate with the WBG Local Government 9% ▪ Compared to FY19 Country Survey Bilateral or Multilateral Agency 7% ▪ 505 participants (74% response rate) ▪ 25% from South South, 17% from South East and North West Office of the President, 5% Minister ▪ 19% collaborated with the WBG Office of a Parliamentarian 5% Click here for details of the Respondent Sample and Methodology. What is your primary professional affiliation? (Select only 1 response) Q (Percentage of Respondents, N=271) 5 6 Overall Context “To be more effective in Nigeria, the World Bank should collaborate closely with all stakeholders, design projects specific to Nigeria's challenges, invest in human capital development, and promote inclusive growth while tackling corruption.” (Bilateral/Multilateral Respondent) “1. Prioritize a bottom-up approach in programs to ensure the needs of the ordinary people are practically met and not theoretical. 2. The Bank needs to consult more and endear itself to the public. It is often seen as an elitist organization far from the people. 3. The Bank should work/collaborate/interface better with relevant MDAs to ensure successful program implementation and sustainability in the country.” (Office of the President/Minister Respondent) “To increase its effectiveness in Nigeria, the World Bank Group should focus on targeted investments in key sectors, capacity building, policy support, stakeholder engagement and monitoring and evaluation.” (Government Institution Respondent) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? (N=251) Familiarity with the World Bank Group ▪ Comparison of FY19 and FY24: Respondents in this year’s All Respondents 8.0 Country Survey reported significantly higher levels of familiarity with the World Bank Group compared to Academia / Research Center 8.6 respondents in the FY19 Survey: Mean familiarity: FY24 = 8.0 Local Government 8.3 FY19 = 5.7 Office of a Parliamentarian 8.3 ▪ Collaboration with the WBG: Respondents who indicated Bilateral or Multilateral Agency 8.2 that they collaborate with the WBG reported significantly higher levels of familiarity with the institution’s work: Private Sector 8.1 Mean familiarity: Collaborate with WBG = 8.4 Government Institution 8.0 Do not collaborate = 7.5 Office of the President, Prime 7.9 Minister, Minister ▪ Stakeholder Groups: Respondents from media and civil society had lower levels of familiarity with the WBG compared Media 7.6 to respondents from other stakeholder groups, however, this difference did not reach statistical significance. Civil Society 7.2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating of Familiarity How familiar are you with the work of the World Bank Group in Nigeria? Q Scale: 1 Not familiar at all – 10 Very familiar 7 Stakeholders Most Familiar with the WBG and UN ▪ Respondents in this year’s Country Survey were asked to World Bank Group 8.0 indicate their familiarity with the work of several international organizations, in addition to the World Bank Group. Of these organizations, respondents in Nigeria indicated the highest levels of familiarity with the work of the WBG and the United United Nations 7.9 Nations. African Union 7.3 African Development Bank 7.3 (AfDB) International Monetary Fund 6.9 European Union 6.8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating of Familiarity Q How familiar are you with the work of these organizations in Nigeria? Scale: 1 Not familiar at all – 10 Very familiar 8 Trust in the WBG has Civil society* 7.7 6.6 Increased in Nigeria Academia / research centers 7.7 Respondents rated civil society, academia, and the 7.7 WBG as the most trustworthy institutions in Nigeria. World Bank Group* 7.3 Notably, nearly every institution that could be compared 7.5 received significantly higher ratings of trust in FY24 United Nations* 7.1 than FY19. The government in Nigeria, especially the 7.4 local government, was the least trusted institution, Regional development banks* 6.4 despite significantly improved ratings for the national and state governments compared to FY19. 7.2 FY24 Private sector* 6.3 FY19 There were several institutions for which there were significant differences in stakeholder groups, which are 7.0 Media* 6.3 detailed in the “Nigeria COS FY24 Appendices with data breakdown and qualitative comments.xlsx” file. Of note: 6.9 Nigeria’s Central Bank* 6.2 ▪ Respondents from outside the government had much lower trust ratings for the national government. 6.8 International Monetary Fund 6.8 ▪ Respondents across all stakeholder groups gave 6.7 relatively high ratings for trust in civil society. National government* 5.0 ▪ Respondents across all stakeholder groups gave 6.7 State government* statistically similar ratings for trust in the WBG. 5.1 *Significant difference 6.0 Local government between years 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 How much do you trust each of the following institutions to do what is right for Nigeria? Mean Rating of Trust Q Scale: 1 Not at all – 10 Very much 9 10 Overall Attitudes toward the World Bank Group “Despite numerous programs and development strategies, the Bank's effectiveness in poverty reduction in Nigeria is marginal. World Bank programs should be tailored to assist the country in strengthening social institutions to achieve poverty eradication targets.” (Office of the President/Minister Respondent) “The WBG needs to have a more tailored approach to both policies and projects that they conduct in Nigeria. This involves having more stakeholder involvement from inception and applying the local context in the design of the project. Also, increasing the investment in critical infrastructure like transportation and power alongside human capital development through education and healthcare would greatly improve the WBG’s effectiveness. Lastly, improving its monitoring & evaluation structure to assess the impact of projects and adjust strategies as needed to maximize effectiveness.” (Academia Respondent) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? (N=251) Key Performance Indicators have Improved Since FY19 In FY24, respondents gave the highest ratings for 7.6 the relevant role the WBG plays in development in Relevant role in development* Nigeria, which was significantly higher than in 6.4 FY19. Indeed, the WBG’s effectiveness in helping Nigeria achieve development results, Effectiveness in helping Nigeria 7.5 influence on development policy, and its achieve results^* 6.8 alignment with the country’s development priorities were also significantly higher compared to the previous survey. Positive influence on shaping 7.2 FY24 development policy* 6.5 FY19 Alignment with development 7.2 priorities* 6.3 6.9 Helps end poverty in Nigeria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating The WBG currently plays a relevant role in development in Nigeria. Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree Q How effective is the WBG in helping Nigeria achieve development results? Scale: 1 Not effective at all – 10 Very effective The WBG has a positive influence on shaping the development policy in Nigeria. Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree *Significant difference The WBG’s work is aligned with what I consider the development priorities for Nigeria. Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree between years The WBG’s work helps end poverty in Nigeria. Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree ^Compared to a mean score of the two questions asked in FY19: “Overall, please rate your impression of the WBG’s effectivenes s in Nigeria.” Scale: 1 Not effective at all – 10 Very effective; “To what extent does the WBG’s work help to achieve development results in Nigeria?” 11 Scale: 1 To no degree at all – 10 To a very significant degree Stakeholders from Effectiveness in helping 6.9 7.4 8.0 Government had Nigeria achieve development results 6.7 7.7 7.8 7.6 More Positive 7.1 Office of the 7.4 Perceptions of the WBG 7.5 7.9 President, Minister Relevant role in 7.9 Office of a development 7.7 Parliamentarian 7.1 Comparisons of ratings for key performance 7.8 7.1 Government indicators between stakeholder groups show that Institution respondents from government (especially 7.2 7.5 government institutions and local government) and 8.0 Local Government Trust the WBG to do what 8.1 bilateral or multilateral agencies gave the highest 7.7 is right for Nigeria ratings for the WBG’s work across all KPIs. In 7.2 Bilateral or 7.8 contrast, respondents from the private sector, civil 7.4 Multilateral Agency society, and academia were more critical of the 7.1 Civil Society WBG’s work; however, none of these stakeholder 7.1 Positive influence on 7.7 group differences reached statistical significance. 7.0 shaping development 7.5 Private Sector policy 7.0 6.9 6.7 Academia / 6.9 Research Center 7.0 7.7 Aligned with development 6.7 priorities for Nigeria 7.3 6.8 6.9 6.6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Q For question wording and scales, please see the previous slide. Mean Rating 12 Familiarity Leads to More Positive Perceptions Comparing ratings of key performance indicators among 8.2 respondents highly familiar with the WBG (ratings of Relevant role in development* 6.7 8-10 on a 10-point scale) and those with little familiarity 5.2 with the WBG (ratings of 1-4 on a 10-point scale), one can see that the more familiar stakeholders are with the WBG, the more positive perceptions they have of the 8.1 WBG and its work. Effectiveness in helping Nigeria 6.7 achieve results* 4.9 Meaningful engagement and outreach can continue to increase positive perceptions. 7.6 Alignment with development 6.3 priorities* 5.2 7.6 Positive influence on shaping 6.5 development policy* 5.2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating How familiar are you with the work of the WBG in Nigeria? High Familiarity (8-10) Some Familiarity (5-7) Low Familiarity (1-4) *Significant difference between levels of familiarity Q For question wording and scales, please see slide 14. 13 Nigeria’s Key Performance Indicators Higher than Other FY24 Western & Central African Countries, FCV Countries, and Lower-Middle-Income Countries 7.7 6.7 Trust the WBG to do what is right 7.0 7.1 Nigeria FY24 7.6 6.7 Relevant role in development 7.1 7.2 Other Western & Central African 7.5 Countries FY24 6.8 Effectiveness in helping achieve results 6.9 7.2 Other FCV Countries FY24 7.2 Positive influence on shaping 6.5 development policy 6.9 Other Lower- 7.0 Middle-Income 7.2 Countries FY24 6.5 Alignment with development priorities 6.8 7.0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating Other Western & Central African FY24 countries included: Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Senegal, and Togo. Q Other FCV FY24 countries included: Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Papua New Guinea, Somalia, South Sudan, and Solomon Islands. Other FY24 Lower-Middle-Income countries included: Benin, Bhutan, Cambodia, Comoros, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Mauritania, Morocco, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, Solomon 14 Islands, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Vietnam, and Zambia. Stakeholder Trends Across Performance Indicators Respondents from government institutions had the All Respondents 7.1 highest mean ratings across the aggregated responses to the nineteen COS indicator questions whereas respondents Government Institution 7.5 from academia and civil society had the lowest ratings, however, this difference did not reach statistical significance. Bilateral or Multilateral Agency 7.3 Collaboration with the WBG: Respondents who indicated Private Sector 7.2 that they collaborate with the WBG gave significantly higher ratings across the aggregated indicator questions compared to respondents who did not collaborate with the WBG: Local Government 7.2 Mean rating: Collaborate with WBG = 7.5 Media 7.1 Do not collaborate = 6.7 Office of a Parliamentarian 6.9 Office of the President, Minister 6.8 Academia / Research Center 6.6 Civil Society 6.6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating of Aggregated Indicator Questions Q All Indicator Questions were asked on a Scale from 1 to 10. Click here for details on these Indicator Questions. 15 16 World Bank Group’s Support for Development Areas “1. Focus on infrastructure development. 2. Emphasize anti-corruption measures. 3. Support small holder agriculture. 4. Invest in human capital. 5. Foster private sector engagement.” (Academia Respondent) “Focusing on Inclusive Economic Growth: 1. Job Creation: Prioritize projects that create jobs, especially for the youth and marginalized groups. This could involve investing in sectors with high employment potential, such as agriculture, manufacturing, and services. 2. Support for SMEs: Provide support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through access to finance, business development services, and market access initiatives.” (Bilateral/Multilateral Respondent) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? (N=251) Agriculture / food security Focal areas for the WBG 80% Education 49% Higher priority among In FY24, stakeholders wanted the WBG to focus Health / pandemic preparedness 49% government institutions (65%) its resources on agriculture/food security, Economic stability and growth 47% Higher priority among followed by education, health/ pandemic local government (63%), bilateral/multilateral preparedness, and economic stability/growth. Water / sanitation 33% (65%), academia (62%), and media (61%) Of note, respondents in this year's survey Energy 30% considered agriculture/food security, water/sanitation, digital infrastructure Jobs 23% development, gender equity, and climate Higher priority among change much greater priorities than in the FY19 Debt management 20% Parliamentarians (58%) survey (31%, 2%, 1%, 2%, and 0.4%, Higher priority among academia Digital infrastructure development 19% respectively). and private sector (both 38%) Public sector governance 18% In your opinion, what is the most important Climate change 18% thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? Gender equity 16% “It has to facilitate an agriculture program that will reach the real farmer at the village.” Private sector development 16% Higher priority among private sector (46%) (Private Sector Respondent) Social protection 14% Higher priority among bilateral/multilaterals (35%) “The World Bank should partner with the state and Environment / natural resource Higher priority among government institutions local government at all times to develop Nigeria's 11% (22%) and civil society (18%) management educational sector because education is the bedrock for all development of any society.” Transport infrastructure 11% (Government Institution Respondent) Urban development 8% Other 1% Which areas should the WBG prioritize to have the most impact on development 17 Q results in Nigeria? (Select up to 5) (Percentage of Respondents, N=258) Effectiveness of WBG’s Sectoral Support The WBG’s work in health received the highest effectiveness ratings. Of note, Finance / Institutions / Economic Growth the perceived effectiveness of the WBG’s work in most areas that could be compared has significantly improved since the FY19 survey, most notably Public sector governance* 6.6 6.2 social protection; however, ratings for regional integration declined. 6.5 Human Development Debt sustainability 6.2 Health* 7.2 Private sector development* 5.7 6.4 6.1 FY24 7.0 Macroeconomic stability Education* 6.3 FY19 6.0 6.8 FY24 Regional integration* 6.4 Gender equity* 5.8 FY19 6.0 Trade 5.8 6.5 Social protection* 5.2 5.7 Job creation / employment 5.5 6.5 Social inclusion* 6.1 Infrastructure Environmental Sustainability 6.5 Water supply and sanitation* 6.1 6.7 Agriculture and food security* 6.2 6.2 Digital development 6.0 Environment / natural resource 6.4 6.1 FY24 Urban development management* 5.5 6.1 FY19 *Significant difference 6.0 6.3 Transport FY24 Climate change 6.0 between years 5.6 FY19 5.8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Energy / extractives* 5.5 Mean Rating of Effectiveness How effective has the WBG been at achieving development results in each of these areas in Nigeria? Scale: 1 Not effective at all – 10 Very effective 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Q (If you have NO exposure to/experience in working in any of the sectors listed below, please respond “Don’t know”) Mean Rating of Effectiveness 18 19 World Bank Group’s Engagement on the Ground in Nigeria “Scale up partnership and deepen synergy with our development partners. Invest more in inclusive agriculture and food system transformation. Scale up investment in infrastructure. Continue to develop knowledge products.” (Bilateral/Multilateral Respondent) “Create partnerships with community gate keepers, community, religion and traditional leaders. Work by providing development grants to CBOs. Facilitate more access to WBG staff for feedback. Organize special conferences to share development and scientific evidence.” (Civil Society Respondent) “Local context, local content, indigenous knowledge.” (Academia Respondent) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? (N=251) Perceptions of the WBG as a Development Partner have Improved in Nigeria In FY24, respondents gave the highest ratings for the WBG being a long-term partner to Nigeria, significantly improved Being a long-term partner to 7.8 compared to the FY19 survey, as were perceptions of the Nigeria* 7.2 WBG’s openness, responsiveness, flexibility, and access to staff and experts. ▪ Of note, respondents from local government and civil society Openness (sharing data and 6.8 gave significantly lower mean ratings for the WBG’s accessibility other information)* 6.2 (mean = 4.8 and 5.0, respectively) compared to respondents from other stakeholder groups. Responsiveness to needs in 6.8 FY24 In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG Nigeria* 5.8 could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? FY19 “The World Bank should work on their feedback mechanism. Implementing agencies often experienced delays in receiving Flexibility when circumstances 6.3 response from Bank representatives.” change in Nigeria^* (Office of the President/Minister Respondent) 5.7 “They should be more flexible and allow easy accessibility.” (Local Government Respondent) 5.8 Access to WBG staff and “Reduce the bottlenecks involved in the project/program experts* 5.2 approval process. Conduct mid-term and end-point evaluation of project/program.” (Government Institution Respondent) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating To what extent is the WBG an effective development partner in terms of the following? *Significant difference Q Scale: 1 To no degree at all – 10 To a very significant degree between years 20 ^Compared to the mean of institutional flexibility and flexibility to changes in the country context asked in FY19. The WBG’s Collaborations in Nigeria have Improved In FY24, the WBG received the highest ratings for the 7.9 effectiveness of its collaboration with the national National government* 6.7 government and other donors and development partners, both significantly improved since FY19. Ratings for the WBG’s collaboration with civil society and the private Other donors and 7.9 sector were also significantly improved compared to FY19. development partners* 6.2 ▪ Of note, respondents from the office of a Parliamentarian gave the lowest ratings for the WBG’s collaboration with the national 7.2 government (mean = 7.1) compared to respondents from other Civil society* 5.7 stakeholder groups ▪ Respondents from local government and the private sector 6.9 gave the highest ratings for the WBG’s collaboration with other Academia / research centers donors and development partners (mean = 8.5 and 8.4, respectively). In contrast, respondents from academia gave significantly lower ratings (means = 6.6). 6.5 Private sector* FY24 5.8 In your opinion, what is the most important thing the FY19 WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? Parliament / legislative 6.2 “1. Increase engagement for needs assessment at the branch grassroots/local government/community level. 2. Increase monitoring of WBG's aids/loans, implementation.” (Office of a Parliamentarian Respondent) 6.1 Local government “They should improve on building trust and dialogue between government and civil society as that will help in creating a basis for an enabling environment that create lasting solutions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 for people.” (Private Sector Respondent) Mean Rating *Significant difference between years To what extent is the WBG an effective development partner in Nigeria, in terms of collaborating Q with the following groups? Scale: 1 To no degree at all – 10 To a very significant degree 21 Stakeholders Want the Bank to Collaborate More with Local Governments A majority of respondents in this year’s survey indicated that the WBG should collaborate more with local governments, Local government 59% in addition to its partnership with the national government. Respondents also welcomed more collaboration with civil society and the private sector. Civil society 43% ▪ Outreach to civil society is additionally recommended because respondents from this stakeholder group were less familiar with the WBG and held more critical views of its work. In addition, respondents indicated high levels of trust in civil society, Private sector 38% suggesting it would be a reliable partner. In your opinion, what is the most important thing the Academia / research WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? 23% centers “The WBG should engage better at the local government level to better understand challenges to address specific needs, collaborate with the private sector to leverage resources and Other donors and 17% expertise and provide necessary support to drive development partners development, and enhance its oversight/M&E process to ensure effective use of funds and that programs/initiatives are achieving the intended outcomes.” Parliament / legislative 12% (Office of a Parliamentarian Respondent) branch “The WBG should be more interested in engaging with civil society groups that work in the area of governance accountability process.” (Media Respondent) Other 5% In addition to its partnership with the national government, which of the following Q should the WBG collaborate with more to have greater impact in Nigeria? 22 (Select up to 2) (Percentage of Respondents, N=261) 23 World Bank Group’s Financial Instruments and Knowledge Work “1. Make grants more accessible. 2. Monitoring of their various projects to reduce corruption and increase its effectiveness. 3. Sponsoring of more projects at the local level, which leads to more job opportunities for those at the grassroots level. 4. Participation and empowerment at the local government level.” (Local Government Respondent) “Enhancing governance and institutional capacity because they are fundamental to the successful implementation of any development initiative. Strengthening these aspects would create an enabling environment for all other efforts, ensuring that resources are utilized effectively, policies are implemented efficiently, and corruption is minimized. Improved governance can lead to better public service delivery, enhanced business environment, and overall socio-economic and political stability.” (Private Sector Respondent) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? (N=251) Financial Resources and Capacity Development Considered the Bank’s Greatest Values to Nigeria Respondents considered the WBG’s financial Financial resources (e.g., budget resources and capacity development and support, investment lending, grants, 45% training to be its greatest values to Nigeria. trust funds) Capacity development and training 43% In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its Technical assistance and More valued effectiveness in Nigeria? among office of the implementation support (incl. 30% President/ Minister “The World Bank should INSIST on accountability project design and implementation) (71%) and transparency from Nigerian institutions in terms More valued among of its intervention activities.” Knowledge and analytical products bilateral/multilaterals (Office of a Parliamentarian Respondent) 27% (e.g., data, reports, policy notes) (47%) and academia (54%) “Ensure adequate training, basically and essentially, on sustainability of projects and programs. Donor coordination 19% Encourage domestication of strategies in a project cycle and stakeholders’ engagement that concerns any projects or programs implementation. Mobilizing third party financial More valued among Community-driven approach in infrastructure resources (incl. both public and 16% private sector (44%) projects to ensure ownership and sustainability.” private) (Office of the President/Minister Respondent) Convening / bringing together “Strengthening capacity of ministries, provision of 7% different groups of stakeholders funding for capital project.” (Civil Society Respondent) Other 1% Which WBG instruments do you VALUE the most in Nigeria? (Select up to 2) Q (Percentage of Respondents, N=263) 24 Perceptions of the WBG’s Financial Instruments Have Improved in Nigeria Regarding the WBG’s financial instruments, respondents The WBG insists on accountability through 7.7 had the highest levels of agreement that the WBG its lending (e.g., performance-based financing, resources tied to results) insists on accountability through its lending and that the WBG effectively monitors and evaluates its projects (significantly improved compared to FY19). The WBG effectively monitors and 7.5 evaluates the projects it supports in Respondents this year also had significantly higher levels Nigeria* 6.3 of agreement that the WBG’s Environmental and Social Framework requirements are reasonable, that the WBG’s financial support is timely, and meets The WBG’s Environmental and Social 7.3 Framework requirements are reasonable* Nigeria’s needs, compared to the FY19 survey. 6.2 ▪ Of note, respondents from government institutions had the highest levels of agreement that the WBG’s financial The conditions of the WBG’s financing are 6.8 instruments meet Nigeria’s needs (mean=7.3) while competitive compared to markets respondents from academia and civil society had significantly lower levels of agreement (means=5.8 and 5.7, respectively). The WBG provides financial support in a 6.7 FY24 ▪ Respondents from government institutions also had the timely manner* 5.8 FY19 highest levels of agreement that the WBG insists on accountability through its lending (mean=8.4) while The WBG’s financial instruments (i.e., 6.6 respondents from academia had significantly lower levels budget support, loans, grants, trust funds) of agreement (mean=6.8). meet the needs of Nigeria* 5.8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating *Significant difference Q To what extent do you agree/disagree with the following statements? Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree between years 25 65% of Respondents Used the WBG’s Knowledge Work, which was Perceived More Positively than in FY19 The WBG brings global expertise to Nigeria as 7.7 part of its knowledge work^* 6.5 Working with the WBG increases Nigeria’s 7.7 No institutional capacity* 6.4 35% Have you ever used the WBG’s knowledge work, including Significance of WBG knowledge work 7.6 FY24 participating in contribution to development results in Nigeria* workshops or training 6.6 FY19 programs? Yes 65% I am satisfied with the quality of the WBG’s 7.3 knowledge work in Nigeria The WBG’s knowledge work is tailored to 6.9 Respondents from the office of the President/Minister, Nigeria’s context^^* 6.0 government institutions, bilateral/multilateral agencies, and academia were significantly more likely Much lower among to have used WBG knowledge work (85%, 87%, 78%, 6.5 Parliamentarians (4.2) and 80%, respectively) than respondents from the When I need to consult the WBG’s knowledge and local government office of a Parliamentarian, local government, civil work, I know how to find it (4.5) society, private sector, and media (46%, 43%, 58%, 45%, and 39%, respectively). 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating Among Knowledge Users Have you ever used the WBG’s knowledge work, including participating in workshops or training programs? (Percentage of Respon dents, N=251) To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree Q How significant a contribution do you believe the WBG’s knowledge work makes to development results in Nigeria? Scale: 1 Not significant at all – 10 Very significant ^Compared to “Source of relevant information on global good practices" asked in FY19. 26 ^^Compared to "Are adaptable to Nigeria’s specific development challenges and country circumstances" in FY19 . 27 The Future Role of the World Bank Group in Nigeria “Support the social protection programs of the Government; Strong Essential Needs Assessment (ENA); Robust monitoring and evaluation framework (M&E); Support the capacity building of Government officials in delivering on their mandates.” (Government Institution Respondent) “While the WBG can continue to support the government's financial needs, the WBG need to target projects that have practical benefit for the people that either improve their capacity, access (across social inclusion strata), private sector development and business (MSMEs) support, rural development (rural-market-urban linkage), among others.” (Civil Society Respondent) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? (N=251) How Can the WBG Increase Its Effectiveness? (Open-Ended Responses) Focus on key sectors and capacity building, more engagement at the local level to better understand and meet Nigerians’ needs, increased monitoring and evaluation, with strict accountability in WBG projects Focus Area • Agriculture development, especially modernizing farming techniques • Human capital – education and healthcare, improving quality and access Communication, • Infrastructure, especially transport and energy Financial 7% • Private sector development to boost job creation Support, • Projects should be inclusive and reach those in more rural areas 7% Focus Area • Ensure sustainable development in all projects with an emphasis on Operational 27% climate change adaptation/resiliency Effectiveness, • Take more of a bottom-up approach, engaging on a more local level, 9% Engagement especially with state and local governments, to better understand their needs and achieve more effective results Knowledge, • More engagement with stakeholders outside of government to increase 13% transparency, inclusivity, and accountability • Be more open, accessible, and responsive to those in the public and Engagement, Results 22% private sectors for more effective collaboration 14% Results • Prioritize transparency and accountability in WBG projects • Increase monitoring and evaluation of projects to ensure they achieve desired results • In addition to WBG financial support’s required accountability, achieving desired results should be a precondition for further funding In your opinion, what is the most important thing the World Bank Group could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? (N=251) Q All percentages are calculated based on the total number of comments made by respondents; individual comments could be counted multiple times depending on the number of topics they covered, so the sum of all percentages may be greater than 100%. 28 How Can the WBG Increase Its Effectiveness? (Open-Ended Responses) Focus on key sectors and capacity building, more engagement at the local level to better understand and meet Nigerians’ needs, increased monitoring and evaluation, with strict accountability in WBG projects Communication, 7% Knowledge • Make capacity building and training more of a priority, not only for those in the government, but for those outside as well • Knowledge work should be more open and accessible through Financial broader dissemination and translation into local languages Support, 7% Focus Area 27% Operational • Less bottle-necking and bureaucracy, more timely and flexible Operational procedures and processes Effectiveness Effectiveness • More engagement and feedback with stakeholders throughout 9% the project/program Knowledge, Financial • Increased financial support, especially grants, that include SMEs 13% Support and the private sector • Better align financial products to Nigeria’s needs with the goal of Engagement, economic stability in the country Results, 14% 22% Communication • WBG staff should be more accessible and responsive • More communication regarding WBG projects and their results is needed to increase awareness of and build support for the WBG’s work, especially among the Nigerian people In your opinion, what is the most important thing the World Bank Group could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? (N=251) Q All percentages are calculated based on the total number of comments made by respondents; individual comments could be counted multiple times depending on the number of topics they covered, so the sum of all percentages may be greater than 100%. 29 30 Communication and Outreach “The engagement with stakeholders across the national and sub-nationals should be enhanced, private sector players, CSOs, awareness of other knowledge reports apart from the NDU to increase public education of other development projects and assistance by the WBG to Nigeria. The communication department also has to do more.” (Media Respondent) “Organize conferences and workshops that will give members room to dialogue with experts on developmental issues.” (Office of Parliamentarian Respondent) “WBG should adopt a more open-door policy to increase its accessibility to Nigeria. Data from WBG should be disseminated more widely to be able to reach more areas.” (Civil Society Respondent) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? (N=251) Direct Contact and Events were the Most Preferred WBG Channels Respondents in Nigeria most preferred to receive the WBG’s communications through direct contact with staff, followed by events/conferences/seminars/workshops (in person or online). Top 2 Preferred WBG Channels Office of the Bilateral/ All Office of a Government Local Civil Private President/ Multilateral Academia Media Respondents Parliamentarian Institutions Government Society Sector Minister Agency Direct contact with staff (e.g., in person, virtually, 62% 64% 46% 71% 71% 55% 62% 68% 68% 32% phone, email) Event / conference / seminar / workshop 57% 64% 69% 63% 63% 50% 43% 58% 52% 52% (in person or online) Direct messaging 28% 14% 8% 27% 29% 35% 41% 32% 32% 16% (e.g., WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) e-Newsletters 22% 36% 31% 19% 4% 30% 32% 11% 32% 20% Social media 17% 0% 23% 11% 25% 15% 14% 11% 12% 52% (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) Other 2% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5% 0% 8% How would you prefer to receive communication from the WBG? (Select up to 2) Q (Percentage of Respondents, N=258) 31 81% of Respondents Recalled Seeing/Hearing about the WBG Recently, Most Often on TV or Social Media More than 8 in 10 respondents recalled recently hearing or seeing something about the WBG. Respondents most often reported seeing/hearing about the WBG on TV or social media. Television (TV) 57% Less common among the No Office of the President/ Social media 51% 19% Minister (18%) More common among Newspapers (print or online) 37% Parliamentarians (70%) Do you recall WBG websites 33% seeing or hearing anything about the Radio 33% Less common among academia (16%) WBG recently? Event / conference / seminar / workshop 31% (in person or online) Yes Direct contact with WBG staff More common among 28% government institutions (44%) 81% (e.g., in person, virtually, phone, email) and bilateral/multilaterals (40%) e-Newsletters 16% Respondents from government institutions and Blogs 11% academia were the most likely to recall seeing/hearing about the WBG recently (94% and Direct messaging 89%, respectively) whereas respondents from civil 9% (e.g., WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) society and the media were significantly less likely (66% and 68%, respectively). Podcasts 4% Other 4% Do you recall seeing or hearing anything about the WBG recently? (N=267) Q If you answered “Yes”, where do you recall seeing or hearing this information? (Select all that apply) (Percentage of Respond ents, N=214) 32 The WBG’s Work on Climate Change, Food Security, and Ending Poverty were the Most Commonly Recalled Topics Respondents most frequently recalled the WBG’s work or Climate change 51% research on climate change, food security, ending poverty in developing countries, and human capital. Food security 50% Ending poverty In your opinion, what is the most important thing the 48% in developing countries WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Nigeria? Human capital 42% (education, health) “The WBG should form closer ties with the public service, understanding the inner workings, including strengths and Women empowerment 36% limitations, to ensure that WBG projects and activities gain maximum traction in line with the aspirations of the ordinary Youth development 36% Nigerian.” (Office of the President/Minister) Job creation / employment 30% “Use more of a multi-stakeholder approach in its intervention. Keep communication lines open and include WBG economic forecasts 29% more diversity and inclusion strategy. Focus also should be on social protection in the context of the economic strain on Debt relief for 24% developing countries citizens.” (Civil Society Respondent) Digital economy 21% “It needs to tailor its work to better align with Nigerian needs and involve additional local expertise. Consider Pandemic preparedness 17% some ideas that are not Western-backed or do not originate from the West. In other words, the ideas being put forward Changes to the WBG financial 10% should consider our domestic needs and alternative ideas and operational model from local experts.” (Media Respondent) Other 9% If you answered “Yes”, what topics were included in what you saw or heard about WBG’s work or research? Q (Select all that apply) (Percentage of Respondents, N=212) 33 Climate Change Communications can be More Impactful when Related to Stakeholders’ Top Concerns: Food Insecurity and Jobs Approximately 8 in 10 respondents were very concerned about the potential impact of decreased crop yields and increased food insecurity and loss of jobs due to climate change in Nigeria. These key areas of concern should be taken into considered to make communications about climate change more impactful. Very concerned Somewhat concerned A little concerned Not concerned at all Decreased crop yields / increased food insecurity 83% Loss of jobs 79% Decreased water availability / quality 70% More frequent and severe floods 69% Land and forest degradation 66% Air pollution 64% More frequent and severe droughts 62% More frequent and severe heatwaves 61% Coastal flooding due to sea level rise 61% Climate-driven migration 59% Increased erosion of shoreline 57% Extinction of plant / animal species 56% More frequent and intense wildfires 47% Q How concerned are you about the following potential impacts of climate change in Nigeria? (Percentage of Respondents, N=~261) 34 35 Sample Demographics and Detailed Methodology Sample Demographics What is the primary specialization Do you of your work? (N=258) collaborate/work Public sector governance 21% with the World Bank Group (WBG) No Education 13% in Nigeria? 44% (N=262) Yes Other 11% 56% Respondents from the office of the Private sector development / trade 10% President/Minister and government institutions were the most likely to Agriculture and food security 8% collaborate/work with the WBG (85% and 88%, respectively) whereas Health / pandemic preparedness 8% respondents from the private sector Macroeconomics, fiscal / debt and civil society were significantly less 7% management likely (23% and 37%, respectively). Generalist (specialize in multiple 7% sectors) Social protection 3% Digital development 2% Environment / natural resource Which of the World Bank (IBRD/IDA) 96% 2% management following WBG International Finance Energy 2% agencies do you Corporation (IFC) 23% collaborate/work Climate change 2% with in Nigeria? Multilateral Investment 11% Guarantee Agency (MIGA) Urban development 1% (N=146) International Centre for Legal / human rights 1% Settlement of Investment 7% Disputes (ICSID) Gender equity 1% Water / sanitation 1% 36 Sample Demographics (continued) Which best represents your What’s your age? (N=263) geographic location? (N=263) 25 or younger 1% North Central 30% 26-35 11% South West 19% 36-45 25% North West 16% 46-55 43% North East 16% South South 14% 56 and above 19% Prefer not to South East 5% <1% specify Female 19% What is your gender? Male (N=264) 81% 37 Detailed Methodology Percentage of Respondents FY 2019 FY 2024 From April to July 2024, a total of 526 stakeholders in Nigeria were invited to provide their Government Principals: Office of the 6% 10% opinions on the WBG’s work by participating in a Country Opinion Survey (COS). A list of President, Minister, Parliamentarian potential participants was compiled by the WBG country team and the field agency. Government Institutions: Employee of a Participants were drawn from the Offices of the President, Minister, and Parliament, Ministry, Department, Project Implementation government institutions, local governments, bilateral or multilateral agencies, the private 33% 25% Unit, Independent Government Institution, sector, civil society, academia, and the media. Judiciary, State-Owned Enterprise Of these stakeholders, 271 participated in the survey (52% response rate). Respondents Local Government 7% 9% received the questionnaire via courier and returned it accordingly, or completed the questionnaire via the online platform. Bilateral/Multilateral Agency: Embassy, Development Organization, Development 2% 7% This year’s survey results were compared to the FY19 Survey, which had a response Bank, UN Agency rate of 74% (N=505). Civil Society Organization: Local and regional NGO, Community-Based Comparing responses across Country Surveys reflects changes in attitudes over time, as Organization, Private Foundation, 18% 14% well as changes in respondent samples, methodology, and the survey instrument itself. To Professional/Trade Association, reduce the influence of the latter factor, only those questions with similar response Faith-Based Group, Youth Group scales/options were analyzed. However, the stakeholder compositions for both survey years should be taken into consideration when interpreting these comparisons, as there were larger Private Sector: Private Company, Financial 11% 15% Sector Organization, Private Bank samples from government principals, bilateral/multilateral agencies, and the private sector, and smaller samples from government institutions and civil society in FY24. Academia / Research Center 10% 10% Key statistically significant findings (tested at the research standard of p < .05) are noted throughout the report. Media 10% 9% Breakdowns for individual questions by stakeholder group can be found in the “Nigeria COS Other 2% 0% FY24 Appendices with data breakdown and qualitative comments.xlsx” file published in the WBG Microdata Library, along with the survey microdata and this report. Total Number of Respondents* 489 271 What is your primary professional affiliation? (Select only 1 response) Q *Not all respondents provided information about their professional affiliation. Therefore, the total number of respondents listed in the table is lower than the N reported in the methodology. 38 Indicator Questions Every country that engages in the Country Opinion Survey (COS) must include specific indicator questions, several of which are aggregated for the World Bank Group’s annual Corporate Scorecard and are highlighted in red below. A1_6. How much do you trust the World Bank Group to do what is right for Nigeria? Scale: 1 Not at all – 10 Very much A2. How effective is the World Bank Group in helping Nigeria achieve development results? Scale: 1 Not effective at all – 10 Very effective A3. How significant a contribution do you believe the WBG's knowledge work make to development results in Nigeria? Scale: 1 Not significant at all – 10 Very significant To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree A4. The WBG currently plays a relevant role in development in Nigeria. A5. The WBG’s work is aligned with what I consider the development priorities for Nigeria. A6. The WBG has a positive influence on shaping development policy in Nigeria. A7. The WBG’s work helps end poverty in Nigeria. To what extent is the WBG an effective development partner in terms of each of the following? Scale: 1 To no degree at all – 10 To a very significant degree C1_1. Responsiveness to needs in Nigeria C1_2. Access to WBG staff and experts C1_3. Flexibility when circumstances change in Nigeria C1_5. Being a long-term partner to Nigeria To what extent is the WBG an effective development partner in Nigeria, in terms of collaborating with the following groups? Scale: 1 To no degree at all – 10 To a very significant degree C2_1. National government C2_4. Private sector C2_5. Civil society C2_6. Other donors and development partners To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree C4_1. The WBG’s financial instruments (i.e., budget support, loans, grants, trust funds) meet the needs of Nigeria. C4_3. The WBG provides financial support in a timely manner. C6_1. I am satisfied with the quality of the WBG’s knowledge work in Nigeria. C6_4. The WBG’s knowledge work is tailored to Nigeria’s context. 39 Thank you For more information about this report or the Country Opinion Survey program, please contact: countrysurveys@worldbankgroup.org