Expert Says Nigeria Perception Tied To History, Socio-Political Challenges

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo 

A sustainable development expert and International negotiator, Kazeem Ademola Adio, has said that Nigeria’s long faced negative perceptions tied to its history and socio-political challenges. 

Adio, a former Secretary to Osun State Government under governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, stated in his book titled ‘Transforming Nigeria’s Economic landscape’ that every brand has an image which must be protected and nurtured at all times.

The author who investigated the status of Nigeria’s image, its underlying problems and prospects, focusing attention mostly on the country’s current political, technological, and socio-economic environment in order to understand its impact on investment and tourism, emphasised that a cracked image is amendable and reversible. 

He explored and recommended the concept of Place-Marketing as a tool for strategic repositioning of Nigeria in the global market, with emphasis on its positive role in disarming every negative pointer to its image.

The former Commissioner for Environment posited that his book was the result of efforts to contribute to knowledge and to rejuvenate the idea that a cracked image is amendable and reversible.

He declared that Nigeria’s image problem affects the country’s ability to attract investment, tourism, and positive international engagement, adding, “when this image is threatened, it is salvageable.”

According to him, “Nigeria has long faced negative perceptions tied to its history and socio-political challenges. This work aims to highlight the urgent need to re-market, or reposition Nigeria’s image worldwide from being viewed as a country with persistent problems to being recognised as a brand with enormous untapped potential.”

He noted that addressing this requires first understanding the core elements that have shaped Nigeria’s current 

image with extensive secondary research that has been combined with primary data gathered through the country’s image challenges.

The book then explores strategic place-marketing as a powerful tool to rethink and reshape Nigeria’s 

positioning, while the approach holds promise in disarming negative stereotypes and redirecting attention towards Nigeria’s investment prospects, rich culture, and tourism potential. 

Adios pointed out that through this focused repositioning, there is great hope for Nigeria to reclaim and enhance 

its narrative on the global stage.

He said, “ultimately, this work aims to contribute to the growing understanding of place-marketing’s role in national brand management and to encourage renewed awareness and positive shifts in how the international community perceives Nigeria. It calls for collective effort in telling Nigeria’s story of resilience,  opportunity, and growth, offering a guide for strategic image transformation that aligns with the country’s broader economic and social ambitions.”

He hinted on transformation of the global economy, emphasising Africa’s potential particularly Nigeria’s and the urgency to reposition its image through brand marketing, digitalisation, and addressing challenges like brain drain.

He said the task to re-direct Nigeria’s image using the 

elements of place-marketing may seem arduous and not achievable in a short time, but it offers a hope 

of getting Nigeria and all it stands for in terms of investment and tourism, re-positioned in the minds of prospective investors and tourists alike.