Brands/Products
Stanbic IBTC Bank, MTN, Leadway Assurance Score High in Positive Reputation
By Dipo Olowookere
A leading media intelligence consultancy in Nigeria, P+ Measurement Services, has revealed that the trio of Stanbic IBTC Bank, MTN Nigeria, and Leadway Assurance have emerged on the top in their respective sectors for positive reputation in the first quarter of 2023.
The firm disclosed that it arrived at the ranking after tracking more than 1.3 million online publications from blogs, news sites, broadcasts, forums, and digital media in the local and global media space, as well as about 5,115 print publications (including daily, weekly, and monthly publications).
P+ Measurement said it extracted different metadata from various online and print publications, spokesperson analysis, CEOs performances, and other topics to gauge the sentiments of reporters, editors, publishers, and opinion writers on organisations in Nigeria’s commercial banking, insurance and telecommunications sectors.
A thorough review of the commercial banks’ media reputation showed that two tier-1 banks and three tier-2 banks made the top five with the highest positive feelings in Q1 2023, while three tier-1 banks and two tier-2 banks made the list with the highest negative attitudes.
It listed the top five banks by positive reputation as Stanbic IBTC Bank with 28 per cent, Access Bank with 22 per cent, First Bank and Wema Bank with 17 per cent each and Fidelity Bank with 16 per cent.
However, the top five banks with negative media reputations were First City Monument Bank (FCMB) with 45 per cent, Stanbic IBTC Bank with 15 per cent, First Bank with 14 per cent, and Zenith Bank and GTCO with 13 per cent each.
In the insurance industry, Leadway Assurance led the positive reputation survey with 30 per cent, AXA Mansard Insurance had 24 per cent, Mutual Benefits Assurance had 17 per cent, Custodian Investment Plc also had 17 per cent, and AIICO Insurance had 12 per cent.
Conversely, AXA Mansard Insurance topped the negative reputation chart with 85 per cent, while NEM Insurance had 15 per cent.
As for the telecommunication sector, MTN Nigeria received the highest positive reputation score of 53 per cent, Airtel recorded 19 per cent, Globacom had 16 per cent, and 9mobile posted 12 per cent.
On the flip side, MTN topped the table with 79 per cent, followed by Airtel with 18 per cent, while 9mobile recorded 3 per cent in the first three months of this year.
Positive Reputation Drivers
The analysis below outlines the most important factors contributing to the positive reputation of the leading commercial banks, insurance providers, and telecommunication providers in Nigeria in Q1 2023.
In the banking industry, Stanbic IBTC Bank strengthened its position as a leader by promoting cashless transactions and announcing new board appointments across the group. Organizers for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon were revealed by Access Bank, and First Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering economic growth.
The insurance industry saw Leadway assurance support AI and data-driven initiatives in the sector. AXA Mansard equipped 100 female entrepreneurs with digital marketing expertise in 2023, and Mutual Benefits offered media professionals N99 million in group accident insurance
Leading the Telecommunication sector is MTN, with its partnership with PAU to train journalists in technology, Airtel reiterated its commitment to giving African children access to high-quality education, and Globacom and Samsung introduced the Galaxy S23 smartphone.
Negative Reputation Drivers
Analysis of the negative reputational drivers in the banking sector revealed that ICPC arrested FCMB Manager for loading wrapped cash in ATM, followed by Stanbic IBTC Bank officials detained by the ICPC on suspicion of hoarding CBN’s new naira notes, and also FG Charged First Bank of Nigeria Managing Director, 2 Lawyers Over Forgery.
Despite higher income, AXA Mansard’s annual profit declined by 40%, and also concerning the non-payment of a claim by NEM Insurance Plc, a group considered petitioning NAICOM and others.
In the telecommunication sector, a crash in MTN’s network put over 80 million subscribers offline, and this had an impact on its reputation, while a decline in the shares of Airtel in the stock market impacted its prestige in the period under review.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has backed the call by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for local smartphone manufacturing to accelerate digital inclusion.
The ALTON Chairman, Mr Gbenga Adebayo, described the proposal as a practical measure capable of accelerating broadband adoption and expanding digital inclusion across the country.
He said Nigeria must deliberately transition from being predominantly a technology consumer to becoming an innovator, designer and manufacturer of digital technologies.
According to him, Nigeria’s large telecommunications market and youthful population provide the scale and human capital needed for world-class technology manufacturing.
The ALTON chairman said the country’s ambition should extend beyond assembling smartphones to developing complete technology capabilities across the value chain.
“Our ambition should extend beyond assembling devices. We must pursue genuine knowledge transfer, research and development, product engineering, software development, semiconductor capabilities and large-scale manufacturing,” he stressed.
He said the objective should be producing devices and digital technologies for Nigeria, Africa and the global market.
Mr Adebayo said the emergence of Artificial Intelligence had further strengthened Nigeria’s opportunity to become a competitive technology manufacturing hub.
He said Artificial Intelligence was transforming product design, manufacturing, quality assurance, supply chain management, customer experience and software innovation.
According to him, investing in AI-enabled manufacturing will improve productivity, create high-value jobs and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness across Africa.
NCC’s Board Chairman, Mr Idris Olorunnimben, at a Digital Africa Summit Roundtable in Shanghai, called for local smartphone production and innovative financing to tackle the proliferation of counterfeit and non-type-approved devices through stronger market integrity.
The ALTON boos described the grey market as a major challenge affecting consumers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and the wider telecommunications ecosystem.
According to him, robust local manufacturing supported by strong quality standards will provide credible alternatives to grey-market imports.
He said effective type approval, competitive pricing and consumer confidence would encourage wider acceptance of locally manufactured smartphones.
“This will strengthen consumer protection, improve network performance, retain greater value within our economy, and stimulate industrial growth,” he said.
Mr Adebayo also endorsed innovative smartphone financing, stronger device management systems and identity-enabled credit frameworks.
He added that the initiatives would enable more Nigerians to acquire quality smartphones through affordable payment models.
According to him, telecom operators remain ready to partner with the government, manufacturers, financiers, academia, investors and development partners to build sustainable local manufacturing.
The ALTON boss described the initiative as a national economic transformation agenda capable of creating jobs and strengthening Nigeria’s position in the global digital economy.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Woodrow has been named Africa Agency of the Year 2026 by PRovoke Media, one of the world’s leading authorities on the communications industry.
The award recognises Woodrow’s rapid growth across the continent and its work supporting clients navigating some of Africa’s most complex communication, policy, reputation and stakeholder challenges.
In announcing the award, PRovoke Media described Woodrow as “a different kind of communications firm for Africa. Built locally, but operating across borders, with a focus on high-stakes, high-complexity mandates that reflect the realities of the continent’s political and economic landscape.”
Founded five years ago by Mr Charlie Tarr, who has spent more than two decades working across African markets advising various organisations, Woodrow has grown from its Nairobi headquarters into a multi-market African consultancy. It now has teams and partners across Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, Senegal and South Africa, delivering work across 13 countries.
Since 2024, Woodrow has more than doubled revenue, expanded delivery across more African markets and supported assignments that have generated global audiences exceeding 70 million people in multiple markets.
Speaking on the recognition, Mr Charlie Tarr, Founder and CEO of Woodrow Communications, said, “When we started Woodrow, we believed Africa deserved communications advice built for Africa’s realities, not imported templates. This recognition is a testament to our people, our clients and our belief that world-class strategic communications can be built from the continent and compete with the very best anywhere in the world. This feels more like a beginning than an arrival.”
Adding his input, Mr David Karega, Head of East and Southern Africa, added, “This award belongs to the team and the clients who have trusted us with some of their most important moments. From major launches and investment announcements to reputation management, policy engagement and crisis situations, we have had the privilege of helping them achieve influence. It shows that globally recognised PR excellence can be built from Nairobi and delivered across Africa.”
Woodrow’s growth has been driven by its local-first operating model, combining deep in-market expertise with regional coordination and strategic advisory support. It supports organisations such as AGRA, Bupa Global, BIC and a range of international foundations, investors and development institutions working across Africa.
Looking ahead, Woodrow is investing in new capabilities around digital influence, audience intelligence and integrated stakeholder engagement to help clients navigate the media landscape in Africa.
“Africa has never been a side conversation for us,” Mr Tarr added, “It sits at the centre of our work and future. The continent is producing some of the world’s most important opportunities in technology, investment, food systems, climate and economic transformation. We are excited to continue helping clients shape those conversations, build influence and contribute to Africa’s growth.”
SportyTV has been added to select DStv and GOtv packages in Nigeria, expanding the sports content available to subscribers. The 24-hour sports channel offers a range of live sporting events alongside news, analyses, highlights and is available to DStv Yanga and GOtv Jolli customers. The channel is also available on GOtv in Kenya and Ghana.
The addition of SportyTV complements the existing sports offering on DStv and GOtv, providing subscribers with access to additional football, basketball and combat sports content.
“SportyTV is a valuable addition to the DStv Access and GOtv Value content offering across Africa,” said David Mignot, CEO of CANAL+ Africa. “It expands the range of sporting events available to customers at an accessible price point and reflects our commitment to making quality sports content available to audiences across the continent.”
Sudeep Ramnani, Founder and CEO of Sporty Group, said: “Our ambition has always been to provide African audiences with broad access to sports content and storytelling. Through this partnership with CANAL+, we are extending that offering to more households across the continent.”
“The SportyTV channel gives DStv and GOtv subscribers additional viewing options that complement SuperSport’s existing range of sports programming,” said Rendani Ramovha, Director of Sport Content for English and Portuguese-speaking Africa at CANAL+. “It broadens the overall sports proposition with additional live events and supporting content.”
SportyTV’s football schedule includes competitions such as the English Premier League, Carabao Cup, EFL Championship, Women’s FA Cup, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and the Spanish Super Cup. The channel also carries South American competitions including the Copa Libertadores, Argentina League and Brazil Serie A, as well as select basketball and other international sports content.
Elias Gallego, Vice President of Business Development, Marketing and Media at Sporty Group, said: “Launching SportyTV on DStv and GOtv allows us to extend our reach and bring a broader range of sports content to viewers across Africa.”
SportyTV will also carry dedicated club channels including Real Madrid TV, Arsenal TV, Chelsea TV and Manchester City TV. Additional content includes coverage from leagues in Greece and Saudi Arabia, alongside basketball programming featuring the NBA.
The channel launched on 10 June 2026 and is available in HD on DStv channel 236 and GOtv channel 58 in Nigeria.
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