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Sixty-five years after independence, Nigeria still wrestles with a fundamental question: what exactly is our national brand? At sixty, during the fever of “japa” conversations, I found myself reflecting on this very issue—whether the Nigerian dream was better pursued abroad or rebuilt at home. Five years later, the pressure to leave has not waned. If anything, it has intensified. Millions still chase the few visas available, convinced that escape remains the only route to a dignified life.
Nigeria has become a country that exports its people instead of its products. We cling to the belief that the success of Nigerians abroad will somehow rub off on the motherland. Yet history has shown the opposite: while personal triumphs may briefly uplift our image, individual failures, from crime to scandal, stick faster and louder as Nigeria’s failures.
Sport illustrates this paradox most starkly. At the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, more athletes of Nigerian origin competed under foreign flags than for Nigeria itself. Once again, Nigeria is set to watch the FIFA World Cup from the sidelines, despite our vast reservoir of talent thriving in European leagues. Beyond sports, countless Nigerians making global strides in science, technology, and the arts are quickly claimed by their adopted nations before the world remembers their origins. Some even rush to distance themselves from the Nigerian identity altogether.
A country that exports people instead of products will always be at the mercy of the mental, psychological, geographical, and even political inconsistencies of individuals. That reality played out recently when Nigerians across the world voiced outrage at a certain British politician of Nigerian origin who seems to have made a career of mocking our nation with half-baked anecdotes and tired stereotypes. It is not just careless rhetoric — it is a reminder of how vulnerable we are when our image depends more on scattered voices abroad than on strong brands at home. And yes, it hurts that deeply.
To be clear, our greatest asset remains our people: resilient, brilliant, and resourceful. But no nation brands itself successfully on human capital alone. True branding comes from what we create — businesses, innovations, cultural exports, and products that embody our ingenuity and can compete on the global stage. Economically prosperous nations did not rely on diaspora glory. Germany is synonymous with automobile excellence through BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen. Switzerland, though not the birthplace of watchmaking, perfected the craft and turned it into a timeless global brand. The United States leveraged Hollywood. India elevated itself through Bollywood and, more recently, technology.
Developing marketing slogans or claiming every successful sportsman as “our son” will not transform Nigeria’s image. What will be the creation and global distribution of enduring brands — in technology, food, agriculture, entertainment, and beyond? Nollywood and Afrobeats have already begun this work, on their own, placing Nigeria firmly on the cultural map. With the right policy and investment, our technology ecosystem and food industry could do the same for our economic identity.
At 65, Nigeria cannot afford to keep outsourcing its reputation to individuals scattered abroad. We must build the kind of brands that speak for us, even when we are not in the room. Only then will “the Nigerian brand” mean more than struggle and survival, it will mean excellence, durability, and pride.
Happy 65th Independence Anniversary. May this milestone mark not just another year of endurance, but the beginning of true brand-building for Nigeria.
Keni Akintoye is a certified brand management, digital media, marketing and communications professional.
