Stakeholders tasked to anchor Nigeria’s branding efforts on positive unique identity

Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa is oil producing nation and Africa’s largest economy with resilient people. It is also famous for entertainment (Nollywood), but corruption and terrorism have eclipsed the positive sides of the country.

It was the need therefore to alter the negative perception that brought some stakeholders together under the Brand Nigeria Leadership Forum to discuss how to leverage ICT to enhance the value of Nigeria’s brand. The forum noted that the absence of well promoted good narratives and lack of proper identity of Nigeria anchored on appropriate image that allow the filling of the gap by foreigners with negative stories.

Discussants at the forum organized by Top 50 Brand Nigeria, an organization that identifies leading brands in Nigeria agreed that since there are limitless opportunities in ICT, Nigeria could create appropriate branding content anchored on Nigeria’s strength using ICT as channel to deliver it.

It was noted that previous branding efforts had failed because they were not anchored on proper identity of who Nigerians are. “If you don’t know who you are, you can’t sell yourself”, says Kunle Ayodeji of Computer Warehouse at the forum.

Strongly believing that ICT can assist to scale up stories faster, Kunle said Nigeria needs to identify its strength, such as entertainment, resilience and hospitality of the people and among others untapped resources and sell them to the international community. “We need to identity what story we are selling, as Nigeria must be identified for something”, he said.

Also speaking, Theo Williams of AJE Group, makers of Big Cola soft drink believed that the Nigerian youth which form about 70 percent of the population is disconnected from the core values of the country.

Theo further said that Nigeria should make the youth, whose passion for the country is dangling to believe in the country. “The Youth needs to be passionate about this country” as he said that ICT could assist to achieve this.

Also speaking, Joseph Okonmah, advisory board member of Top 50 Brands Nigeria said Nigeria is a vibrant, industrious, innovative and creative people. “There are hundreds and thousands of people that can create so many inventions and ideas that could become phenomenal. We have great potentials. Let’s begin to see opportunities in the present situation and make the best out of it by ‘turning our lemon into lemonade.”

Taiwo Oluboyede of Top 50 Brands Nigeria also believed that the present situation in Nigeria presents opportunity to create the Nigeria dream. The organizers used the opportunity to unveil the 2016 Top 50 Nigerian brands.