Nigeria has made several attempts at branding with little success. From the ‘Heart of Africa’ to the ‘Good People, Great Nation’ concept, the search for a strong national brand that resonates with internal and external publics is a convoluted journey.
i-Nigeria Initiative
There are more gloomy stories about Nigeria – some not even told yet. This gives the nation long hours of negative television footages and sound bites, as well as kilometres of negative commentaries in the print media.
In the past few years, there have been efforts by stakeholders to promote Nigeria’s tourism potentials to diversify revenue generation from oil and convey positive news to the international community.
Learning from failure
Learning from those experiences, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation is now collaborating with private and corporate individuals to harness potentials in culture and tourism to unify the nation on a brand platform.
This has given birth to the “Nigeria, Our Heritage Project” (NOHP).
The first bold step was taken in July 2014 when Fidelis Anosike unveiled NOHP in Abuja, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Howard University Alumni Association.
NOHP is supported by states, including Benue, Niger, and Ekiti; and corporate organisations, including Nigeria Export Import (NEXIM) Bank, Heritage Bank, Eko Atlantic, DStv, MultiChoice, CNN, DAAR communication, NERC and BGL.
Jonathan promises support
On August 5, 2014, an evening of entertainment on Nigeria’s centenary independence celebration was held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall in Washington D.C.
The event was organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation to unveil the international leg of NOHP.
Attendees included President Goodluck Jonathan; Tourism, Culture and National Orientation Minister, Edem Duke; Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Adebowale Adefuye.
Nigerian celebrities present included Don Jazzy, Rita Dominic, Ali Nuhu, Davido, Flavour, Tiwa Savage, Tee Billz, Masterkraft, Tola Odunsi, Leslie Kasumba, Di’Ja, Lola Ogunnaike, Obi Asika, Hakeem Kae-Kazim and Ubi Franklin.
Jonathan promised to support NOHP to overhaul Nigeria’s image globally and promote its tourism and culture to create wealth and secure the trust of foreign investors.
He expressed regret that there is a global media conspiracy which brings humiliation to the country.
Duke announced the adoption of NOHP under public private partnership (PPP), and expressed optimism that it would uphold the principles of the ministry.
His words: “We, therefore, seek the partnership of companies which are proud of Nigeria, the media, local and international agencies, Nigerians in the Diaspora, institutions of federal and state governments to be part of this project by identifying with our avowed commitment to lead the race towards revamping the global dignity of Nigeria as an investment destination.
“We believe that time has come for the private sector and notable Nigerians from all walks of life to take the front row in shaping the future of Nigeria economically, socially and otherwise because all over the world, government makes policies and create enabling environment for growth but the private sector is the substructure that shapes the economy.”
The event in Washington marked the first plank of a novel approach to Nigeria’s holistic national branding project.
Complementary projects
Another platform of NOHP is a book titled, Nigeria: Our Heritage – The Past. The Present. The Promise. This is a compendium of music, dance, costumes, food, historical sites, values (rites and usages) and natural assets.
Up to 100 hard copies will be distributed to partner organisations and high profile individuals, and an online version will be on various web platforms.
An annual road show will take Nigeria’s ancient and contemporary arts abroad for appreciation by the international community. A video documentary, “Fascinating Nigeria”, on rich heritage and scenic sites will be distributed to an international audience.
The private initiative will endow an annual “National Heritage Award” to identify and reward partners by presenting them to Nigeria’s president for decoration.
The maiden edition of “Innovate Nigeria Conference and Expo”, which is in the planning stage, is expected to attract international “innovators, inventors and designers” who will share creative experiences with their Nigerian counterparts.
This should help Nigerians comply with globally acceptable standards of practice and guarantee worldwide patronage for local products and services.
A gender-sensitive initiative will hold a “Women of Influence Conference”, an advocacy platform to advance the interest of women and the girl-child, with Oprah Winfrey as one of the resource persons.
The group also plans to establish women academies across West Africa to enhance regional integration and security.
The National Heritage Forum will gather stakeholders and partners to “review, articulate and implement protocols on the strategic positioning of Nigeria’s heritage.”
By year end, there will also be the “Next Century Forum” that will become an annual platform to avail Nigerian students and graduates of the world’s top 40 universities to network with Nigerian corporate organisations to create integration.
NOHP Chairman, George Obiozor, said the scheme was conceived as an enduring movement to engender a positive global perception change for Nigeria and enable the country internally and externally to realise its full potentials.
It “will be activated by 100 proudly Nigerian public and private organisations that will catalyse the strategic repositioning of Nigeria as a nation,” he enthused.
This seems to be paying off, judging by the number and calibre of the individuals and organisations that have lined up behind the project.
Nigeria by 2050
Jim O’Neil, who coined the acronym, “BRICS”, for emerging market economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), projects that Nigeria will be one of the 13 biggest world economies by 2050.
Obiozor and his group anticipate that Nigeria’s economy would rank in the top five by 2114, when the country will celebrate its second centenary.
It is good that a private initiative like NOHP plans big for Nigeria’s future. If you aim for the skies, you may hit the tree top.
Creating the enabling environment
The spirit of Nigeria’s centenary, swirling in the air, should galvanise and give hope to the citizens. It puts cynical Nigerians back to work.
One good way to get Nigerians mobilised is to tie the national branding cause to things that appeal to and define the uniqueness of the peoples that make up the nation.
This is not ‘stomach infrastructure’ but creating the enabling environment for all Nigerians to prosper with cultural and economic pride.
The home front is important. If this project is handled in a non partisan way, it could mobilise the entire country for peace, prosperity and the good life.
Jonathan reiterated at the launch in Washington that “the project is a message to every Nigerian that we have a duty to ensure that Nigeria is not only what it should be but what others see it as. We have to be holistic in the way we look at things, especially our culture.”
NOHP appears to have brought a new optimism that Nigeria can get its branding act together. What needs to be seen is how much success comes out of it.
