Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Minister of Information and National Orientation Agency, Mohammed Idris has entreated Nigerians to have great zeal for the national brand. He made the appeal yesterday in Abuja at the formal unveiling of the Nigeria Reputation Management Group (NMRG). Idris described the country’s brand reputation as one of its most invaluable assets, alongside its financial, natural and mineral resources.
He said that in spite of its challenges, the country can still build its reputation brand by carrying out a honest assessment of its weaknesses and strengths. “As you’re all aware, a country’s brand reputation is one of its core assets, alongside its financial and natural and mineral resources. However, the intangibility of brand reputation means that it is often not reckoned with or grossly underestimated in the accounting of a country’s primary assets.
“It is therefore important for Nigeria to take its national brand very seriously. I believe we can start by honestly assessing our strengths and weaknesses. Yes, we have our challenges and reputational weaknesses, but we also have significant strengths and untapped potential,” Idris said.
He listed one of the initiatives that determine the strength of a country as the national brand index saying: “Countries are ranked on that Index according to how they score on six primary indices, in the perceptions of respondents drawn from around the world. He listed them as Exports, Governance, Culture, P.