Edelman Trust Barometer Ranks Nigeria Second Highest in World Innovation

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The 2024 Edelman Nigeria Trust Barometer has ranked Nigerians as second among countries in the world that innovation is well managed in their country.
The outcome of the survey, involving 28 countries, was released yesterday, in the wake of a global debate on the role of innovation in society. Nigeria was at par with Kenya in the survey that also featured respondents from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The findings also revealed that the vast majority of Nigerians believed scientists, experts and academics should play a crucial role in managing the introduction of innovation.
The CEO for Edelman Africa, Karena Crerar, said the data proved people want to feel a sense of credible authority behind how innovation is managed and rolled out to the public.

She noted that Nigerians’ show of trust may be testament to their reliance on scientists as leaders in building trust in innovation within society.
However, the data casts a spotlight on how scientists engage with the public, as a marginal but critical 37 per cent of Nigerian respondents said scientists did not know how to communicate with them.
“Our data shows that while scientists are still trusted within society as technical experts, to further build trust in expert recommendations there is a need to explain the research in an accessible and transparent way,” Crerar said.

On the other hand, the finding also said the government is the least trusted institution to tell the truth about innovation, with 73 per cent of Nigerians saying government leaders are purposely trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggerations.
The survey also shows that while there had been significant strides in the advancements of vaccines, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, and green mandates – there exists an equal pushback against these innovations.

Nigerians also displayed exceeding levels of trust in their peers to tell them the truth about new innovations (83 per cent) with 75 per cent saying they also trust scientists for the same.
Business leaders are increasingly expected to address the impacts of innovation, with 68 per cent of Nigerian respondents saying they expected CEOs to manage changes occurring in society and not just in their businesses. There is also an increasing call for a collaborative approach between business and government as innovation surges, with 77 per cent of Nigerians saying they would trust these partnerships more in technology-led changes within society.

This finding was consistent across the four African countries surveyed with majority agreement: Morocco (51 per cent), South Africa (61 per cent), Kenya (72 per cent), and Nigeria (77 per cent).

 “Our research across the continent has shown business leaders and scientists are most trusted to introduce innovation into society, with an emphasis on partnering with government. CEOs need to safeguard jobs and take a stand on emerging ethical concerns. It is crucial for leaders to ensure that technological advancements are aligned with societal needs and values, fostering a future where innovation promotes inclusivity and sustainability,” added Crerar.

Also Kwame Senou, the Executive Director, the Holding Opinion and Public Company, a strategic advisor of Edelman’s West and Central African Partner Network, said “Nigeria shows a positive trend with a trust index of 61, reflecting a five-point increase from the previous year.”