Business professionals at the West African Innovation Awards 2026 held in Lagos recently, have identified brands as integral part of building an inclusive and sustainable nation.

The professionals that spoke with The Guardian include, Chief Executive Officer, Red Media Africa Ayodeji Razaq; Chief Executive Officer Coronation Insurance PLC., Olamide Olajolo; Group Managing Director, Weatherheads Advertising Group, Abi Iderawunmi and Manager Business Experiential, Events & Sales at Plus Marketing, Esther Omange.

Themed, ‘The strategic role of brands in nation building,’ Razaq noted when a brand roots itself authentically in the nation’s values, aesthetics, and lived experience, it doesn’t just sell a product, but exports a worldview.

To him, “we’ve seen what Afrobeats did for how the world perceives Nigeria, brands have the same potential to do that for commerce, creativity, and credibility. The question is no longer whether Nigerian brands can shape global perception. It’s whether they’re intentional enough to try.”

On his part, Olajolo observed when brands consistently deliver quality, integrity, and innovation, they begin to reshape narratives that have often been defined externally.

To strengthen national identity, he argued brands must intentionally raise the bar on trust, quality, and consistency.

With reference to Coronation Insurance Plc, he said, “we see this responsibility in how we serve customers every day. Insurance is ultimately a promise, and when that promise is kept with discipline and clarity, it builds confidence not just in the brand, but in the wider system it represents.”

At a global level, he added, “Nigerian brands have the opportunity to become ambassadors of possibility. When we compete effectively across African and international markets, we shift perceptions from potential to proven performance. That shift is what ultimately strengthens Nigeria’s image.”

Iderawunmi however queried, “the question we should ask ourselves as Nigerian brands is, “what version of Nigeria are we exporting?” Unfortunately, for the longest time, we’ve allowed the global narrative around Nigeria to be shaped externally – sometimes unfairly.

But brands now have the opportunity to tell a more balanced, fuller story – one rooted in innovation, resilience, creativity, excellence, and enterprise. It’s already happening with brands and platforms connected to Afrobeats, Nollywood, fintech, fashion, and even indigenous food culture – who have helped reposition Nigeria from merely a country with rich potential, to a country that’s actively influencing global culture.”

But beyond perception, she added authenticity is also important.

To him, “Nigerian brands need to stop trying to imitate (or even impersonate) foreign identities and instead, build from our own realities, language(s), lifestyle, and strengths.”

Because the most powerful global brands start from a deeply local perspective before they become global. It’s that authenticity that makes them believable.

“We can’t build a strong national image through slogans alone. It is built when Nigerian brands consistently deliver quality, create trust, solve real problems, and proudly carry authentic Nigerian excellence into the world – in every product exported, every campaign launched, as well as every customer experience delivered. In short, when Nigerian brands raise standards, Nigeria’s reputation rises with them.”

On her part, Omange observed Nigerian brands carry more weight than most people realise.

To her, “they don’t only sell products or services; they tell the world who we are as Nigerians. When a Nigerian brand consistently delivers quality and innovation, it challenges the old narrative about the country. It replaces it with one that shows Nigeria is a place of real talent, creativity, and ambition.”

Domestically, she argued, “when Nigerian brands break through globally, the ripple effects go beyond reputation. Investment follows. Opportunities follow. It reinforces what many of us already know, that Nigeria isn’t just participating in Africa’s growth story, it’s helping write it.”

In his welcome remarks, Chairman Award Organising Committee West African Innovation Awards 2026, Cammil Chineme, disclosed for 15 years, the award was designed to honour extraordinary innovation and achievements at corporate and CEO level in the nation’s brand industry.