Nigerians Expect Better Economy, Jobs, Power Supply In 2020– NOIPolls

Nigeria’s foremost pollster- NOIPolls, on Tuesday, published the outcome of its annual New Year survey to gauge the expectations of Nigerians for 2020- the economy, job creation, electricity supply, as the top three areas government should focus attention on.

While 70% of respondents prefer the focus on the economy; 69% say its job creation; and 62%, electricity supply; followed by education, 55%; infrastructural development, 38%; healthcare, 29%; agriculture, 23%; and security, 7%.

On the economy, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew from 2.12% in the second quarter of 2019 to 2.29% in the third quarter of 2019, indicating an increase of 0.17%.

However, in the course of the survey, according to NOIPolls, most of the respondents lamented the increasing cost of goods and services in the country especially food items, especially with average Nigerians yet to feel the impact of the increase in the nation’s GDP.

The call for the government to focus its attention on the economy this year, the report stressed, is understandable.

With regards to Job creation, 69% of Nigerians want government to channel resources to creating more jobs for its citizens in 2020, which “will go a long way in reducing the level of poverty and number of dependent people as well as in reducing the crime rate in the country.”

According to the NBS report, the unemployment rate in Nigeria increased to 23.1% in 2018Q3 from 22.7% in the previous quarter of 2018.

Opinion on power revealed that 62% of the respondents expect the government to significantly focus its attention on the sector, considering that this sector has faced huge challenges over the years. The status quo in terms of electricity generation and distributions is still inadequate considering the country’s population.

“Adequate electricity means that Nigerians will be empowered to work from the domestic level and the cottage industries, through the small-scale and medium industries to employment in the large-scale manufacturing complexes.

“Therefore, the federal government and concerned stakeholders need to place a high priority on ensuring that challenges surrounding these sectors that Nigerians have singled out are drastically improved to improve the economy and foster national development in the country.”

The poll, according to the report, showed “that the status quo on the economy, job creation, and electricity supply as well as in other sectors mentioned are no longer acceptable as most Nigerians task the government to improve these sectors in 2020.” The onus, NOIPolls stressed, “lies on the government to listen to the demands of its citizens and work to improve these areas that Nigerians have pointed out to ensure a better quality of life for all its citizens.”

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