As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, Veteran Nollywood actor, Richard Mofe-Damijo, popularly known as RMD, and other leading voices from the creative, media and communications sectors have called for collective action by Nigerians to change negative perceptions about the country and build a strong national reputation.
They made the call during Pivot Nigeria’s second annual Conference held on Tuesday at MUSON Centre, Lagos, under the theme “The Reputation Dividend: Who Pays for Nigeria’s Perception.”
Pivot Nigeria is a thought leadership platform established with the aim of reframing how Nigeria is perceived, highlighting the effect of perception of the country on economic opportunities, investor confidence, diplomacy, global mobility, and institutional trust.
Speaking at the event, Mofe-Damijo said reframing how the country is perceived does not mean lying that there are no problems, but taking positive steps to fix them.
“I think that we are too quick to condemn; reframing the lens that we look at Nigeria with is not lying about Nigeria, that there are no problems, but saying that we need to fix them. It is fixing them that is the issue, not that there are no problems,” he stated.
He urged people to proffer solutions instead of just criticising the country.
The veteran actor urged Nigerians to see themselves as ambassadors of the country, stressing that every individual’s conduct could influence how the country is perceived both within and globally.
He stressed that building the country is the responsibility of the citizens, not foreigners, adding that many developed nations, including America, were built by the citizens.
“The people get the kind of leadership that they deserve. Americans built America; Nigerians have to build theirs,” he stated.
He cited Nigerians doing well in different sectors, including Aliko Dangote and others in the entertainment industry, especially in Afrobeats, stating that they are representing the country well.
Commenting on Nigeria’s journey as it turns 66, Mofe-Damijo described the country as young when compared to other developed nations that are celebrating centuries of independence. While noting that it is not an excuse for Nigeria’s shortcomings, he urged the citizens to remain patient while working to develop the country, pointing out that building civilization takes a long time.
On the presence of endemic corruption and its impact on national development, he said corruption will continue to fight back, emphasising the need for discipline and concerted efforts to build strong institutions that help to address it.
The former Delta State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism also highlighted the role of citizens in governance, urging them to hold leaders accountable and participate actively at every level of governance.
Convener of Pivot Nigeria, Victoria Uwadoka, said reputation management is critical for the country and can be considered an asset or infrastructure upon which trust is built, which sustains the nation, its objectives and businesses in the long term.
She said that as Nigeria marks its 66 years of independence, there is no better time than now to highlight the country’s reputation internationally, where it stands and what needs to be done going forward.
In her opening remarks, Uwadoka, who is also a lead consultant at High Stakes PR Professionals, said Pivot Nigeria is not a campaign but a national movement to raise conversations around how Nigerians see the country and also examine how it is perceived internationally.
She said that while the inaugural conference held in October 2025 called for a collective shift from deficit-driven narratives to balanced, authentic storytelling that reflects Nigeria’s true potential, the 2026 conference focused on deepening the conversation around reputation dividend, interrogating the cost of perception, who pays for it, and what every citizen must do to earn a stronger reputation dividend for the country.
She said everyone, including citizens, government, institutions, and corporate bodies, has a responsibility in building a stronger national reputation.
While noting that there are great things to celebrate at 66, both as individuals and as a nation, she said the country has built the framework, created good policies and now is the time to implement those policies to get the desired results of national development.
She said the journey of building the country starts with Nigerians believing in themselves and creating systems that shape the country’s global perception. She called on the government to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurs to invest in the country, create jobs and boost the economy.
“We should begin by understanding that we are great people; we have great attributes, and we are creators who create great things. We should believe that first and help other people to believe it as well by living true to who we are,” she stated.
Speaking on the theme of the conference, President of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, said Nigerians benefit when the country has a strong reputation dividend and bear the cost when it has a negative perception.
Dr Neliaku, represented by Adetokunbo Modupe, CEO, TPT International, described reputation as “an invisible asset” that opens doors for a country when it is strong, but a weak one creates distrust and makes things tough for citizens and the economy in general.
He highlighted the dividends of a strong reputation, which, according to him, include a rise in investor confidence, acceptability of Nigeria’s passport, its citizens abroad and its culture abroad.
While noting that Nigeria has a lot of great things to celebrate and potential to achieve great heights, he charged the citizens to be intentional about what they communicate about the country.
He called for balanced stories that highlight the challenges, celebrate good attitudes, and point the way forward.
READ ALSO:
- Oyedele Justifies Nigeria’s Borrowing Amid Criticism
- Beyond Bigger Banks: What Nigeria Can Learn from Global Recapitalisation Reforms
- Nigeria at 66: CPPE Calls for Productivity-Driven Growth
- Nigeria on Track for $1trn Economy by 2030 – Oyedele
Rosemary Egabor-Afolahan, Director, Commercial and Communication, News Central TV, stated that shaping national perception starts with putting up positive performance over time, which builds trust, not just communication.
Speaking on the topic “Performance before perception,” Egabor-Afolahan said that no matter the quality of the campaign message, if the experiences of people do not match, it is a waste of time and there is no return on investment.
“If we want to change Nigeria’s reputation, we have to start improving the experiences that create that reputation,” she stated.
“You cannot communicate your way out of a performance problem,” she added.
According to her, communication can only amplify performances and create confidence about them, but cannot substitute for performance.
On his part, Elvis Eromosele, managing editor of The NumbersNG, believes that issues of performance that build reputation start with government, which sets standards that citizens should follow.
Speaking on the topic “Are Nigerians paying a reputation tax in global markets and international engagements,” Eromosele said the country currently suffers visa restrictions by different countries and declining foreign direct investment (FDI) due to reputational issues.
Highlighting the role of indigenous entrepreneurs and corporate organisations in improving the country’s reputation, he said Dangote Group is a large conglomerate that has shaped the global narrative around African industrial capability through long-term investment, local value creation, and manufacturing at scale.
Victor Ezeja is a Nigerian journalist skilled in producing insightful news analyses, feature stories, and interviews that simplify complex issues and drive informed public discourse. His work combines rigorous research, balanced reporting, and compelling storytelling to highlight developments shaping industries and society. Victor, who holds a Master's Degree in Mass Communication, specializes in energy, aviation, business, and economic reporting. He can be reached via @VICTOREZEJA on X