….Report highlights shift in consumer loyalty, experience, and community-driven engagement as key to brand growth
The National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria [NIMN], in collaboration with the Lagos Business School [LBS], Pan-Atlantic University, has unveiled a new Consumer Insight Report aimed at equipping Nigerian marketers with data-driven strategies to navigate the evolving market landscape.
The report, launched yesterday, July 9th, 2026, under the theme of NIMN’s Annual Marketing Conference – “Community, Culture and Connection: Reimagining the New Market” – provides a dual-lens analysis of Nigerian consumers and marketing practitioners across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
Speaking on the initiative, Dr. Bolajoko Bayo-Ajayi, President of NIMN, said the report was conceived to extend the conversations from the conference and translate them into actionable thought leadership for the industry.
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“The idea came up as we were planning the conference. We wanted to understand the pulse of the market from both the consumer side and the practitioner’s side,” Dr. Bayo-Ajayi stated.
“We worked with Prof. Uchenna Uzo and the team at LBS to fine-tune the approach. We adopted focus group sessions with marketing practitioners, one-on-one interviews, and a nationwide consumer survey. That collaboration between NIMN and LBS made the report possible.”
Over 300 brands, companies, and consumers were engaged in the research process, ensuring representation across Nigeria’s diverse markets.
Key Findings: Loyalty Is Shifting
A central insight from the report, presented by Prof. Uchenna Uzo, Professor of Marketing and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Pan-Atlantic University, is that consumer loyalty in Nigeria is undergoing a fundamental shift.
“Loyalty is shifting. Nigerian consumers are not as loyal as they used to be, and the projection is that in the next 4 to 5 years, the disloyalty rate will go up,” Prof. Uzo noted.
“Any marketer or business that does not rethink how loyalty management is handled will struggle.”
According to the report, the biggest driver of disloyalty is not price, but poor experience management at the point of purchase and in after-sales service.
Other critical factors include inconsistent product quality, slow response to complaints, and lack of variety tailored to regional preferences. Price ranks second.
“Quality is submerged in the experience,” Prof. Uzo explained. “The biggest gap we found around quality in Nigeria is a lack of consistency. Businesses that can replicate quality consistently have a higher chance of achieving loyalty.
A New Playbook for Marketers
The report calls on marketers to move beyond the traditional playbook of reach, TV, radio, and social media metrics. Instead, brands must focus on relevance, relationships, and co-creation.
“As practitioners, we should step out of our bubble,” Dr. Bayo-Ajayi urged.
“Consumers today want to be seen, related to, and heard. Co-creation is no longer an afterthought. Consumers are demanding to be part of the conversation from the word go.”
The report also emphasizes the growing influence of community leaders and influencers in purchase decisions. “Every buyer in Nigeria consults people before they decide,” Prof. Uzo said. “Influencers and community builders sit at that intersection and shape both decision-making and final experience with a product or service.”
Dr. Bayo-Ajayi added that peer trust, built through genuine community engagement, is now a stronger currency than paid advertising alone.
Bridging Academia and Practice
The NIMN-LBS collaboration is designed to bridge the gap between classroom theory and marketplace reality. “This partnership brings together academia, practitioners, and students,” Dr. Bayo-Ajayi said.
“What is being taught in classes should not be different from what is happening in the market. This report provides real-life case studies that will enrich learning and strengthen the profession.”
For LBS, the partnership reinforces its commitment to producing research that directly impacts business and society.
For NIMN, it advances its mandate of providing thought leadership and professional standards for marketing in Nigeria.
The Objective
“The objective of this report is to reawaken Nigerian businesses to the reality that the customer has moved on,” Prof. Uzo stated. “Customers are asking deeper questions about value. This report shows businesses what value means to the target customer today and provides strategies to maintain loyalty going forward.”
Both NIMN and LBS say the report will serve as a framework for marketing practitioners, corporate organizations, and students to make more deliberate, consumer-centric decisions.
The full report will be made available to NIMN members and will be integrated into LBS executive and academic programs.
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