Brands Must Drive Trust, Economic Growth, Experts Tell Nigerian Firms

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s business and marketing sectors have urged indigenous brands to move beyond visibility campaigns and become active drivers of nation building, economic growth and public trust.

The call was made at a recent event in Lagos themed, “The Strategic Role of Brands in Nation Building,” where participants stressed that strong brands have become critical to shaping national identity, strengthening institutions and improving Nigeria’s global reputation.

Group head, Accounts and Strategy at Weatherheads Advertising Group Ltd, Jesujoba Popoola, said nation building can no longer be left to government institutions alone, noting that brands now play strategic roles in influencing economic growth, consumer confidence and social values.

According to him, strong nations are built not only on institutions and businesses but also on brands that shape public aspirations and create opportunities across industries.

Popoola said sustainable national growth would depend on how effectively brands create measurable impact through innovation, accountability and strategic communication.

He noted that while many companies invest heavily in advertising and visibility, the inability to translate such investments into measurable economic and social outcomes continues to limit their relevance to national development.

“The gap between advertising investment and actual impact has led to missed opportunities for many businesses. Stronger accountability frameworks have become necessary as market expectations continue to evolve,” he said.

He added that stronger brands create stronger business ecosystems capable of generating jobs, stimulating innovation and supporting long-term economic expansion.

Also speaking, project director of the West Africa Innovation Awards, Abidemi Adesanya, said Nigerian brands possess untapped potential to reshape the country’s global image through authentic storytelling and innovation rooted in local realities.

He said brands built around Nigerian culture, values and experiences could become strategic export tools capable of projecting the country’s creativity, credibility and commercial strength to the international community.

Drawing comparisons with the global acceptance of Afrobeats, Adesanya said Nigerian brands could equally transform global perceptions if they deliberately promote local strengths through innovation-driven narratives.

He added that indigenous companies remain critical to economic growth because they create jobs, support local supply chains and provide opportunities for small businesses and emerging enterprises.

Adesanya further stressed the need for stronger collaboration between government and private brands, noting that while government provides policy direction, brands shape public trust and perception.

Business leader Esther Omange said Nigerian brands are increasingly becoming instruments of national reputation, noting that quality service delivery by indigenous firms helps counter negative perceptions about the country.

According to her, the success of local brands not only builds national pride but also attracts foreign investment and creates wider economic opportunities.

She noted that beyond direct employment, local brands sustain networks of suppliers, creatives and service providers, making them central to Nigeria’s diversification agenda.

Omange added that trust in public institutions is strengthened when partnerships between government and the private sector produce visible outcomes such as improved education, technology access and youth employment.

In his remarks, chief executive officer of RED Media, Ayodeji Razaq, said successful nation-building campaigns across the world have historically been driven by brands that consistently shape public perception and trust.

“Government sets the policy, but brands shape the feeling, and trust is ultimately an emotional currency. When both work in alignment, you get more than infrastructure; you get narrative,” he said.

Also, managing director/chief executive officer of Coronation Insurance Plc, Olamide Olajolo, said Nigerian brands remain central to how the country is perceived locally and internationally.

He stated that every customer experience, product and service offered by local firms contributes to shaping Nigeria’s identity, stressing that brands that consistently deliver quality, integrity and innovation would help reposition the country globally.

Olajolo described local brands as key drivers of economic transformation because they stimulate value chains, create employment opportunities and support innovation across sectors of the economy.

He added that stronger collaboration between government and private institutions in areas such as financial services, infrastructure and digital inclusion would accelerate development while strengthening public confidence through visible results.