The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), in collaboration with Reputation Perception Services (RPS), has unveiled the maiden Nigeria Reputation Perception Index (NRPI) 2025 Report, a new data-driven framework aimed at assessing and improving the country’s global image.
NIPR President, Chairman of Council & Board of Global Alliance Director, Dr. Ike Neliaku at the event.
The report was publicly presented on Thursday in Abuja, marking what the Institute described as the first systematic and evidence-based national instrument for measuring Nigeria’s reputational standing at home and abroad.
Speaking at the event, President of the NIPR, Dr Ike Neliaku, said the Index was the product of a seven-year intensive effort and was conceived as a regulatory and policy-focused intervention rather than an academic exercise.
According to him, the NRPI is designed to reposition reputation as a strategic national asset that should guide public policy, diplomacy, investment attraction and national rebranding efforts.
Dr Neliaku explained that the initiative seeks to provide credible data that can support informed decision-making across government and other critical sectors, while also offering a benchmark for tracking Nigeria’s reputation over time.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, who chaired the event, described reputation as a national asset and said the introduction of a data-driven framework for assessing Nigeria’s image would strengthen institutional accountability.
Senator Jibrin noted that the Index was not intended as a platform for assigning blame but as a tool for learning, reform and progress. He said constructive self-assessment was essential for democratic growth and urged the country to engage honestly with the realities shaping its national image.
He also assured that the National Assembly would continue to support reforms that promote transparency, inclusiveness, national unity, economic resilience and social justice, while aligning legislative outputs with global best practices and Nigeria’s unique socio-political context.
Also speaking at the presentation, former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States and National President of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria, Ambassador Joe Keshi, identified leadership and governance as critical factors in reshaping Nigeria’s reputation.
Ambassador Keshi recalled Nigeria’s strong reputational capital in earlier decades, built on its leadership role in Africa, contributions to decolonisation, peacekeeping missions and regional stability. He stressed the need for the country to reclaim that leadership position in global affairs.
The NRPI Report draws inputs from respondents across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as international respondents from Africa, Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, South America, the Middle East and Oceania.
The full report is available on the NIPR website.