How have people in Nigeria responded to the Covid-19 pandemic and its resulting lockdown?

To answer this question, we conducted online surveys of over 400 Nigerians (so this study is representative of Nigerians with internet access, not the country as a whole). Here’s what we learned:

Nigerians have been compliant with their government’s protective measures, despite the resulting financial woes. Of those polled, 54% indicated that they were confident in their government’s response to the outbreak, while 23% said the response left them very concerned. Almost all respondents (97%), however, were willing to comply with the measures in place to limit the virus’s spread. Confidence might not be high, but citizens were willing to give government the benefit of the doubt. This may wane as the economic impact deepens, with 95% indicating financial effects are a primary concern for them.

Nigerians have missed going to school and the office above all. Respondents were most likely to say they miss going to places of work or education (40%), followed by seeing friends and family (32%). Most dislike being indoors (46%). Once lockdown is over, Nigeria could see its citizens developing a deeper appreciation for the privilege of going to school, university, or work.

But positive habits have set in. Almost half of respondents (46%) indicated that the best part of being in lockdown is spending more time with their families. With the busyness of daily life in Nigeria, it can be easy to neglect relationships, so forced isolation is proving to be positive. Other benefits mentioned were having more time to read (29%), getting more sleep (25%), and watching more TV (21%). Once the lockdown is over, Nigerians stated that they would like to continue to nurture these lifestyle changes.

After lockdown, Nigerians want to continue taking better care of their health. Of those polled, 51% said they will continue to take better care of their health in the future, and 40% indicated that during lockdown they did a better job of caring for themselves. These proactive measures have the potential to reduce strain on the national health system in the long run. Respondents also said that reflecting more on their lives (21%) and spending more time with family (18%) are habits they would like to continue post-lockdown. Brands should take note of this shift in health and mental wellness habits and tailor future content accordingly.

Families have enjoyed the additional bonding time and hope to continue it. A final positive outcome from lockdown has been an increase in quality time at home. Parents told us that during lockdown, they read more with their kids (51%) and watched more children’s programming (49%). This is leading better bonding and engagement between parents and children, as they share activities and learn more about each other. Parents have also been delighted to discover that the shows their children watch are both entertaining (72%) and educational (63%). Brands that create content that appeal to parents and children alike may thrive better in a post-lockdown Nigeria.