Business professionals at the West African Innovation Awards 2026 held recently in Lagos have identified brands as integral to building an inclusive and sustainable nation. Speaking with The Guardian, industry leaders including Chief Executive Officer of Red Media Africa, Ayodeji Razaq; Chief Executive Officer of Coronation Insurance PLC, Olamide Olajolo; Group Managing Director of Weatherheads Advertising Group, Abi Iderawunmi; and Manager of Business Experiential, Events & Sales at Plus Marketing, Esther Omange, shared their insights.
The Strategic Role of Brands
Under the theme 'The strategic role of brands in nation building,' Razaq noted that when a brand roots itself authentically in the nation's values, aesthetics, and lived experience, it does not merely sell a product but exports a worldview. He stated, 'We have seen what Afrobeats did for how the world perceives Nigeria. Brands have the same potential to do that for commerce, creativity, and credibility. The question is no longer whether Nigerian brands can shape global perception. It is whether they are intentional enough to try.'
Olajolo observed that when brands consistently deliver quality, integrity, and innovation, they begin to reshape narratives that have often been defined externally. To strengthen national identity, he argued that brands must intentionally raise the bar on trust, quality, and consistency. Referring to Coronation Insurance Plc, he said, 'We see this responsibility in how we serve customers every day. Insurance is ultimately a promise, and when that promise is kept with discipline and clarity, it builds confidence not just in the brand, but in the wider system it represents.' At a global level, he added, 'Nigerian brands have the opportunity to become ambassadors of possibility. When we compete effectively across African and international markets, we shift perceptions from potential to proven performance. That shift is what ultimately strengthens Nigeria's image.'
Exporting a Balanced Narrative
Iderawunmi queried, 'The question we should ask ourselves as Nigerian brands is, what version of Nigeria are we exporting? Unfortunately, for the longest time, we have allowed the global narrative around Nigeria to be shaped externally – sometimes unfairly. But brands now have the opportunity to tell a more balanced, fuller story – one rooted in innovation, resilience, creativity, excellence, and enterprise. It is already happening with brands and platforms connected to Afrobeats, Nollywood, fintech, fashion, and even indigenous food culture – who have helped reposition Nigeria from merely a country with rich potential, to a country that is actively influencing global culture.' Beyond perception, she added that authenticity is also important. 'Nigerian brands need to stop trying to imitate foreign identities and instead build from our own realities, language(s), lifestyle, and strengths. The most powerful global brands start from a deeply local perspective before they become global. That authenticity makes them believable. We cannot build a strong national image through slogans alone. It is built when Nigerian brands consistently deliver quality, create trust, solve real problems, and proudly carry authentic Nigerian excellence into the world – in every product exported, every campaign launched, and every customer experience delivered. When Nigerian brands raise standards, Nigeria's reputation rises with them.'
Omange observed that Nigerian brands carry more weight than most people realise. 'They do not only sell products or services; they tell the world who we are as Nigerians. When a Nigerian brand consistently delivers quality and innovation, it challenges the old narrative about the country. It replaces it with one that shows Nigeria is a place of real talent, creativity, and ambition.' Domestically, she argued, 'When Nigerian brands break through globally, the ripple effects go beyond reputation. Investment follows. Opportunities follow. It reinforces what many of us already know, that Nigeria is not just participating in Africa's growth story, it is helping write it.'
In his welcome remarks, Chairman of the Award Organising Committee for the West African Innovation Awards 2026, Cammil Chineme, disclosed that for 15 years, the award was designed to honour extraordinary innovation and achievements at corporate and CEO level in the nation's brand industry.
