Kasim Sumaina in Abuja
The Africa Polling Institute (API) is set to launch its 2025 Social Cohesion Survey report on July 3, aimed at bridging the gap between data availability and practical application in fostering national unity and social harmony.
The report’s findings, API said, will highlight key issues affecting social cohesion in Nigeria, including low trust in government, high polarisation, and poor access to justice.
API’s Executive Director, Prof. Bell Ihua, speaking yesterday in Abuja, hinted the importance of equipping the media with data literacy skills to shape narratives that promote unity over division.
Ihua noted that recent findings reveal Nigerians tend to trust traditional and religious leaders more than governmental institutions.
He revealed that the upcoming report will be API’s fourth national report on social cohesion, providing insights into issues such as trust, social relations, and perceptions of national unity.
Ihua urged citizens to prioritise national identity over ethnic, regional, or religious affiliations, stating: “The workshop, themed ‘Promoting Effective Media Reportage Through the Use of Social Cohesion Data’, aimed to build the capacity of journalists and media professionals to interpret and apply social cohesion data in storytelling and advocacy for peace building and national integration.”
Experts at the workshop, however, emphasised the need for data-driven interventions to mitigate fragmentation and strengthen national cohesion, and for journalists to approach social cohesion reporting with professionalism and a strong sense of civic duty.
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