ABUJA — The National Assembly has emerged as the least trusted institution of government in Nigeria, overtaking the Nigeria Police Force, according to a new independent report on social cohesion.
The 2026 Social Cohesion Report by the Africa Polling Institute, API, shows that 77% of Nigerians have “no trust” in the National Assembly. The legislature ranked below the Police, which had long held the bottom spot in public trust surveys. API described itself as an independent, non-profit, and non-partisan opinion research think-tank. The report was released at the weekend.
The findings point to deepening public disillusionment with lawmakers amid economic hardship, security concerns, and perceptions of weak oversight. Trust in key institutions is a core indicator of social cohesion, and analysts warn that low confidence in parliament could affect legislative legitimacy and citizen participation ahead of the 2027 elections.
The trust deficit comes as the Senate pushes the 2026 State Police Bill, which it says reflects “national consensus”. Other institutions have also faced scrutiny: INEC and political parties recently clashed over access codes to upload candidates’ particulars, while over ₦53.3 trillion was shared to the three tiers of government from FAAC in three years.
The report is expected to spark fresh debate on legislative accountability, constituency projects, and the cost of governance. Civil society groups have repeatedly called for more transparency in National Assembly spending and voting records. API did not release trust figures for the executive or judiciary in the excerpts available, but said the full report covers multiple governance indicators.
