A new continental report has identified Nigeria as having one of Africa's most significant disconnects between government policy delivery and citizen trust, describing this as the continent's defining governance crisis.
Nigeria Among Worst Performers in Trust Deficit
The inaugural RPI African Policy Index 2025, released by Reputation Poll International, evaluated all 54 African nations and placed Nigeria in the middle tier of Strugglers with an overall score of 52.3. This category reflects countries that achieve partial policy results but fail to earn public confidence.
The comprehensive study, drawing from hard policy implementation data and perception surveys involving over 25,000 Africans, reveals that Nigeria records one of the continent's widest Trust Gaps. The disparity between objective performance and citizen confidence sometimes exceeds 25 points in Nigeria.
The report flags Nigeria alongside South Africa, Angola, Egypt, and Zimbabwe as having the most severe mismatches between policy and public perception.
Paper Policies Versus Public Distrust
According to the findings, Nigeria's anti-corruption laws and other initiatives score reasonably well on paper but fail to inspire public trust. This is primarily due to perceived elite impunity and inconsistent enforcement.
A similar pattern exists across other nations with wide trust gaps, where oil wealth, infrastructure spending, and progressive legislation do not convince ordinary citizens that governments genuinely serve their interests.
The Index identifies this trust deficit as Africa's core governance challenge, emphasizing that without deliberate measures to close the gap, policy ambitions alone cannot produce stable or legitimate outcomes.
Contrast With High Performers and Regional Patterns
In stark contrast to Nigeria's situation, a small group of African nations scoring above 70 demonstrate that world-class governance is achievable when delivery matches citizen belief.
Mauritius leads with 78.9, followed by Seychelles at 76.4, Cabo Verde at 74.8, and Botswana at 73.2. These countries excel because strong economic management, high vaccination rates, transparent institutions, and consistent progress in education and digital reforms are reinforced by equally high public trust.
The report notes that Botswana and Mauritius succeed not because they are wealthy, but because they systematically include citizens in monitoring and feedback, narrowing their trust deficit to near zero.
Regional analysis shows that Central Africa records the lowest regional average at 41.2, while Southern Africa dominates the top tier. West, East, and North Africa deliver mixed results.
Over half of Africa remains far from the standard set by top performers. The Strugglers tier (50–69.9) encompasses 30 countries, while 18 Systemic Challengers score below 50, from Sierra Leone at 49.2 to South Sudan at 28.4.
Clear Message for Nigerian Leadership
For Nigerian leadership, the Index sends an unambiguous message: policy formulation alone is no longer sufficient.
As the country grapples with debt, youth unemployment, and climate pressures, bridging the Trust Gap through better communication, transparency, and inclusive monitoring has become essential to achieve sustained development and restore public confidence.
The RPI African Policy Index 2025 stands as both a warning and a roadmap, indicating that unless Africa's trust deficit is addressed, the continent's governance crisis will only deepen.
