NIGERIA'S CHALLENGED GLOBAL IMAGE AND REPUTATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND GROWTH

Abstract

The image and reputation of a country are the major corporate assets that have global outreach and profound implications on her national identity and development. The twin concepts of image and reputation are critical for any nation craving for cordial international relations and economic partnerships, especially for developing economies, including Nigeria. This paper explores the internal and external perspectives of Nigeria's challenged reputation and how some unhealthy national issues, including unemployment, insecurity, bad governance and particularly corruption, result to considerable poor national image that has continued to tarnish international perception of the nation and its citizens over many years to the detriment of her economic competitiveness and growth. More implicative are the hostile experiences of Nigerians abroad, low foreign direct investments and tourism and poor national pride that worsens economic prospects. With the methodology of insightful library research, this paper explicates these issues against the backdrop of the country's dire need for economic transformation and sustainable development; and recommends conscious and effective measures aimed at transparent management of corruption and other reputational vices both within and outside Nigeria in order to positively impact on the nation's global reputation for improved economic competitiveness and sustainable growth.