Addressing reputational challenges of made-in-Nigeria products

Nigerian products are often seen as inferior or fake by a section of local consumers. In some markets outside Nigeria, some consumers think that products from Africa’s most populous country do not measure up to global standards. This is not necessarily true considering that the country plays host to a number of multinationals and well-known conglomerates such as Lafarge, Cadbury, Nestlé, Guinness, Cadbury, Dangote Group, Flour Mills of Nigeria and Chi Limited, among many others. Experience has shown that what these large enterprises produce in Nigeria are sold in Europe, the Americas and other parts of the world. What this, therefore, means is that the growth of made-in-Nigeria products is hampered by poor consumer perception.

Speakers at the fifth Lagos Public Relations Stakeholders’ Conference discussed this issue this year and unanimously agreed that there was a need for a deliberate and strategic approach involving public and private sector partnership to address the reputation challenges of made-in- Nigeria brands.

Leading the discussion was Babatunde Ruwase, chairman of the conference and president of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

Ruwase said governments at all levels had major roles to play in the promotion of made-in-Nigeria products and obliterating the wrong perception from the minds of consumers.

“Governments in Nigeria are big spenders and could make a significant impact on the fortune of domestic producers,” he said.

“We would like to see a demonstrable commitment to the recent Executive Order on the patronage of made-in- Nigeria products as well as indigenous skills. The country’s population is estimated at 200 million. Nigeria is home to about one in five Africans. Our youths are creative and enterprising. These are strengths we can leverage to promote the Nigerian products and services,””he explained.

A major multiplier effect of patronising local products was the increased demand for local labour, he said, adding that the country’s foreign reserves would be conserved through patronage of local goods, thus ensuring the stability of the macroeconomy.

Delivering the keynote address at the conference, themed, ‘Addressing Communication and Reputation Challenges of Made in Nigeria’, Oluwatoyin Sanni, managing director, Emerging Africa Capital Group, explained that as a country, Nigeria needed to make sure it was communicating right. She said ‘Made in Nigeria’ was not just about physical products, but everything related to the country: Education, dressing, attitude to work, quality of service and relationship with others, among others.

She said there was a need for conscious creation of ‘Brand Nigeria’.

“We must be deliberate to adopt all measures to promote the best of our country in the world. We need to understand that perception is reality and that our communication must be deliberate and strategic, involving everyone to sell ‘Brand Nigeria’. Before you market products, services and business, you need to market your country first. No one wants to do business with people who say their own country is no good. The people you are selling to should also buy into where you are coming from”.

The conference concluded that Nigeria was operating at a very low capacity due to infrastructural challenges, adding that made-in-Nigeria products were of quality but competing with low cost imported goods.

It was also agreed that citizens must patronise ‘Made in Nigeria’ to encourage survival of local firms, while governments at all levels should lead the way by patronising these products.

It was also concluded that government communication was a major problem facing the ‘Made in Nigeria’ brand, stressing the need for public institutions to be strategic in their communications to ensure that everybody was speaking with the same voice.

The experts also opined that the country needed to promote institutional standardisation to get the best out of the production process, adding that there was a need to promote vocational training and pay less attention to paper qualification.

It was also advised that Nigeria should articulate a communication strategy on how to brand Nigeria, while Nigerians should speak positively about made-in- Nigeria products.

The Lagos Public Relations Stakeholders’ Conference is the brainchild of Addefort Limited, a public relations and concept development firm.

ODINAKA ANUDU