Nigeria has ranked among the leading supporters of international cooperation in a new 34-country survey commissioned by the Rockefeller Foundation.
The findings show that 71 percent of Nigerians expressed strong backing for global cooperation, placing the country just behind Kenya (72 percent) in sub-Saharan Africa.
The region as a whole recorded 68 percent support. Globally, Nigeria’s position is comparable to frontrunners such as India (81 percent) and South Korea (73 percent).
The survey, which polled 36,405 adults across 34 countries, comes at a time of growing concern about the retreat of international collaboration amid rising nationalist rhetoric and cuts to development funding.
“At a moment when the world is struggling to cooperate on addressing shared threats, The Rockefeller Foundation can once again help bring people together from across the world and across political divides to test new ideas and catalyze innovative solutions that will save lives,” said Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, president and chief executive officer of the ONE Campaign and member of the Rockefeller Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
William Asiko, vice president of Africa at the Rockefeller Foundation, said the data reflects Africa’s demand for equity and partnership rather than dependency.
“For too long, the narrative around development in Africa has been focused on aid rather than on partnership and mutual benefit,” he said.
“This new data confirms what we’ve always known—that Africans want a system of international cooperation that is not only effective but also equitable.
“Build the Shared Future provides a powerful opportunity to design and implement solutions that prioritize local leadership, leverage innovation, and build a more resilient and prosperous future for the continent.”
The results highlight that Nigerians, like many around the world, are more likely to support global cooperation when it delivers tangible results.
According to the report, 75 percent of people globally would back cooperation if it effectively solves global problems, while 76 percent would support it if it addresses challenges within their own countries.
Yet only 42 percent currently believe international cooperation serves their personal interests.
Despite this fragility, the report shows overwhelming global support remains for cooperation in tackling core issues: jobs (90 percent), trade and economic development (92 percent), food and water security (93 percent), global health (91 percent), climate change (86 percent), and poverty and inequality (90 percent).
The Rockefeller Foundation also used the occasion to launch a new $50 million “Build the Shared Future” initiative, aimed at developing innovative solutions that respond to crises and promote a healthier, more secure, and more prosperous future.
On Monday, September 22, world leaders, philanthropists and private sector executives will gather at the UN General Assembly in New York to debate the survey’s findings and discuss new models of international cooperation.
