Nigeria has taken a bold step toward redefining its global image with the inauguration of Nigeria Reputation Day, held on Wednesday, October 15, 2025. The commemoration, themed “Better Nigeria, Better Reputation,” seeks to remind citizens that a nation’s true wealth lies not in material possessions, but in the values its people uphold — echoing the timeless words of Chinua Achebe: “A people’s greatness is measured not by wealth, but by the values they uphold.”

The day represents more than a symbolic occasion. It is an invitation to every Nigerian—at home and in the diaspora—to reflect on how individual choices shape the collective image of the nation. As the Nigeria Reputation Management Group (NRMG), the convener of the event, emphasized, rebuilding national reputation goes beyond image campaigns; it requires a renewal of integrity, trust, and accountability in everyday life.

Speaking on the significance of the day, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, fnipr, Chairman of the Nigeria Reputation Management Group (NRMG), highlighted the transformative power of a nation’s reputation.

“Our reputation is not merely perception; it is power,” he said. “It determines how the world receives us, how investors trust our markets, how our youth are treated abroad, and how proudly our children identify with their homeland. Rebuilding Nigeria’s reputation, therefore, is not only about fixing systems — it is about restoring trust, strengthening character, and living with integrity.”

Badejo-Okusanya emphasized that Nigerians have consistently demonstrated creativity, resilience, and an unbreakable spirit. Yet to truly unlock these strengths, they must be anchored in honesty, fairness, and accountability. “Every act of fairness, every promise kept, and every truth spoken,” he noted, “is a quiet brick with which we build a stronger, more respected Nigeria.”

While acknowledging the nation’s ongoing challenges, NRMG maintains that they are not insurmountable. Across the world, communities have been revived and nations renewed when citizens chose to act differently — persistently and together.

To guide this transformation, the NRMG has outlined five pillars for building and sustaining Nigeria’s reputation:

  1. Consistency – Acting with integrity, not occasionally, but always.
  2. Transparency – Being open in our decisions and accountable for outcomes.
  3. Responsibility – Owning our actions and correcting our missteps.
  4. Respect – Treating our people, institutions, laws, and the environment with dignity.
  5. Excellence – Rejecting mediocrity and striving for the higher standards in all things.

As part of the day’s call to action, Nigerians everywhere are encouraged to take up the #BetterNigeriaBetterReputation challenge — to commit one act of integrity, live it daily, and inspire others to do the same.

The M-Factor: Nigeria’s Cultural Power Grid

Nigeria’s reputation also thrives through what the NRMG describes as the “M-Factor” — five engines of soft power that continue to define the nation’s global image: Music, Movies, Media, Minds, and Fashion.

Each, in its way, tells the Nigerian story:

  • Music - the rhythm of resilience, turning challenges into chants and hope into harmony.       
  • Movies - our mirror and megaphone, projecting truth, humour, and courage with global reach.       
  • Media - the voice that frames perception, building or breaking trust depending on how we use it.       
  • Minds - our thinkers, innovators, and reformers - the conscience behind our creativity.       
  • Fashion - the fabric of our identity, where culture meets confidence and design meets dignity.

When these elements align with integrity, the NRMG asserts, Nigeria becomes “unstoppable.”

“Let our music carry messages of dignity as much as rhythm. Let our films uplift as much as they entertain. Let our media amplify truth, not toxicity. Let our fashion express pride anchored in purpose. And let our minds lead with clarity, conscience, and courage, he said”

According to NRMG, this synergy between culture and character is how a nation earns enduring respect — when its creativity reflects its conscience.

Building a Legacy of Integrity

The establishment of Nigeria Reputation Day marks the beginning of an annual national reflection — a commitment to honour, trust, and values as the foundation for progress. The NRMG envisions it as a yearly reminder that every Nigerian holds a stake in how the world perceives the country.

“Our national image will not be defined by headlines alone, but by the quiet consistency of millions choosing what is right. Let this day be a turning point, a reminder that the reputation we desire begins with each of us," he stated”

A National Commitment Renewed Each Year

Going forward, October 15 will be celebrated annually as Nigeria Reputation Day—a reminder that integrity and reputation form the bedrock of true national progress. Each year, Nigerians will renew their collective pledge to uphold values that strengthen trust, foster unity, and promote a Nigeria that commands respect at home and abroad.

The Nigeria Reputation Management Group (NRMG)—a private sector-led initiative of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR)—will continue to lead advocacy, research, and behavioural reorientation campaigns to rebuild the nation’s image and strengthen its moral foundation.

With its guiding mantra, “Reputation First!”, the NRMG envisions a future where Nigeria’s name stands not merely for potential, but for proven integrity, excellence, and pride.