Feature/OPED

Understanding the Psychology of Marketing as Regard Nigerians

Published

4 years ago

21/04/2022

By Kenneth Horsfall

I tell you this with a great fact Nigerians are peculiar people, Nigerians are not like every African, they are a very different breed of people. They think differently, not like every African. So, today I am going to be teaching you how to really understand the psychology of marketing when dealing with Nigerians so you can take advantage of it and sell anything to a Nigerian and he or she will buy. To begin our class, let’s define what Marketing Psychology is.

What Is Marketing Psychology

Marketing psychology attempts to understand the way that consumers think, feel, reason, and make decisions. The goal of marketing is to convince people and making a calculated emotional appeal can be just what you need to land a lasting customer.

You may be asking what is the relationship between psychology and marketing?

Marketing is building relationships between brands and consumers, which includes stoking loyalty and awareness in consumers. Psychology, on the other hand, is the study of the human mind and human behaviour.

Let’s just go further to explain how this truly works. Marketing psychology closely relates to consumer behaviour: the study of how and why we purchase goods or services. Borrowing insights from behavioural sciences, such as neuroscience and cognitive sciences, marketing psychology looks at how people’s feelings and perceptions influence their buying habits. So, now you get the point abi?

Psychological tactics that influence how Nigerian consumer’s behaviour

Good news! You don’t have to be a psychologist to stage a successful emotional appeal to your potential customers in Nigeria. Many successful marketers use these strategies to great effect. With a bit of research and experimentation – you can too.

An important component of successful marketing is understanding how and why people think and act in certain ways. All of your marketing efforts should stem from this understanding. If, for example, you’re a content marketer creating an infographic, your efforts will be far more successful if you begin with your end consumer in mind. Who are they and why should they care about your infographic? What action(s) do you want them to take as a result of the infographic? Is progress measurable?

Reverse engineering, this process can be illuminating. At this point, you may be thinking that this is all very obvious. But how well do you truly understand your customer? Are they a two-dimensional idea or a three-dimensional person? What motivates them to make a decision?

Understanding how people operate can be the difference between good marketing and great marketing.

To help you further I’m going to share with you 6 psychological tips for marketing to Nigerians

Nigerians Are Very Impulsive

Have you ever been waiting in line at the grocery store only to grab a few “last minute” items before your transaction? Those items weren’t placed there on accident. It’s quite intentional and has been enabling impulse buys for decades. Flash sales in email marketing campaigns are another way this psychological marketing tactic is applied. How can you use people’s impulsive nature to satisfy their needs?

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Our brains can process images a whole lot faster than they can comprehend the written word. This is for good reason. Long before Harry Potter, people needed the ability to quickly assess the lay of the land in order to survive. Play into this. We live in a visual world. Spend some time pondering your use of visuals. People will form an instant impression based on visual appearance.

Colour Psychology

Colours have an enormous impact on our moods and emotions – possessing the profound ability to influence our perceptions. We associate certain colours with whimsy, others with trust, and others with sensuality. Depending on what you’re selling, be aware of your use of colour. It is important to send a consistent message on all fronts. Appeal to the subconscious mind first, and logic later.

The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword

Certain words or phrases, while cliched, evoke an emotional response. Organic. Gluten-free. Certified. Testimonial. Authentic. There is a perfectly good reason that words like these are plastered all over products: it works. People continue to go for it. Think about the products and services you’re marketing and try to find the words that have the potential to elicit an emotional response. Use them when talking about your products.

The Power of “Yes”

Yes, is a powerful word. It is the green light that gets you in the door. Getting people to say yes to little things before going for the win is a time-honoured sales strategy. It creates a sense of connection and agreeability. This is as popular today as ever. Many businesses use social media in this way: warm an audience up with social ads, get them to take a small action (watch a video or sign up for an email list), create trust, and convert. This whole process is a series of small agreements that gradually open the door to a sale.

Nigerians love to make Decisions Emotional

The decision-making process is emotionally driven. Even people that pride themselves on being rational aren’t immune. We all make decisions based on two things: what satisfies our needs and what aligns with how we are. Marketers would be wise to try to elicit an emotional response from potential customers.

To conclude our class today on understanding the psychology of marketing to Nigerians, we will check out why will Nigerians buy your product or service.

Nigerians don’t care about you, how much success you’ve achieved or even what you have to sell.

Nigerians care about themselves first, second, third and up to infinity.

Nigerians are naturally selfish; including me, including you, that is reading this article is a Nigerian!

If you want Nigerians to buy what you have to sell, here is what you need to do;

Forget about what you want or don’t want and focus on giving them what they want and getting rid of what they don’t want!

The 40/40/20 Rule of Marketing – Here is a fact that explains why Nigerian customers will buy. The “40/40/20 rule” explains what constitutes the response for a marketing campaign. It breaks down like this: 40% of the success of your marketing is dependent on the target audience; 40% of the success of your marketing is dependent on what you’re offering [product or service]; 20% of the success of your marketing is dependent on creativity. That’s just it.

Why will Nigerians buy your product or service? – Nigerians buy for the following reasons. Provide these reasons and the sale becomes natural.

Utility – why should I buy this? Nigerians buy because they are interested in two things. These two things they are interested in are the same two things you and I are interested in. Because all of us are only interested in the following two things: Getting rid of a PROBLEM you have and don’t want and/or Creating a RESULT that you want and don’t have.

The utility they said is the satisfaction derived from the consumption of a particular product or service. In other words, utility = satisfaction derived = value. Products or services sell not because you have bills to pay, or because you have needs to be met. In fact, if you ever hope of selling anything, you have to get ‘YOU’ out of the equation and focus on ‘THEM’. Products or services sell because your Nigerian customers want utility.

Credibility – why should I buy from you? The second reason why Nigerians will buy from you is credibility. Nigerians buy from people they trust. After a Nigerian sees the utility in what you are offering for sale, the next thing they want to see is credibility. Are you for real? Can you really deliver this utility? Are you capable of delivering on your promise? This is very crucial for making the sale.

Relevance – why should I buy NOW? I see the value in your offering, I trust your ability to deliver, but is what you are selling relevant to my current situation? I am interested in what you are offering for sale, based on a certain track record, I think I trust your brand, but how well is your solution –product/service suitable for my current needs? This is the most crucial phase of the three reasons why Nigerians buy. To successfully get over this phase, two key skills are required; The ability to question skillfully and the ability to listen carefully

To uncover the relevance of your product/service to the current needs of the customer, you’ve got to dig deep beyond the surface. Nigerians find it naturally difficult to express their deep desires until skillfully led. The more you skillfully ask questions and listen carefully and patiently to the answers, the more the customer will open up and talk to you.

Takeaway: As an entrepreneur, you are trying to sell to Nigerians the best way to do it is to create the kind of environment where the Nigerians feel comfortable expressing themselves openly and honestly. Your goal is to see things like a Nigerian, see things from their perspective and make them trust you then see how they will run to you with their money.

Kenneth Horsfall is the creative director and founder of K.S. Kennysoft Studios Production Ltd, fondly called Kennysoft STUDIOs, a Nigerian Video and Animation Production Studio. Horsfall is also the founder and lead instructor at Kennysoft Film Academy and can be reached via [email protected]

Related Topics:Kenneth Horsfall Psychology of Marketing Understanding the Psychology

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Feature/OPED

AI and Cybercrime in Nigeria: Can Weak Laws Support Strong Technology?

Published

21 hours ago

06/05/2026

Business Post Contributor

By Nafisat Damisa

Introduction

The proliferation of generative AI has transformed Nigeria’s cybercrime landscape, enabling deepfake fraud, automated social engineering, and AI-enhanced phishing at scale. In early 2024, scammers using AI-generated deepfake videos impersonating a company’s CFO defrauded a Hong Kong finance worker of $25.6 million. As similar threats emerge in Nigeria’s fintech sector, this article examines whether the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 (as amended 2024) is legally adequate, or whether Nigeria’s evidentiary and accountability frameworks are too weak to support effective prosecution of AI-driven cybercrime

Current Legal Landscape
Nigeria’s primary legal framework on preventing cybercrime is the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, amended in 2024 to address cryptocurrency transactions, cyberbullying and various forms of digital misconduct. Complementary frameworks include the National Information Technology Development Agency Act 2007, the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023, and sectoral regulations such as the CBN’s Risk-Based Cybersecurity Framework. However, the majority of these frameworks were issued far before now, and emerging risks like AI-driven threats are not really being addressed. The Act nowhere mentions “artificial intelligence,” “algorithm,” or “autonomous system.” Notably, the National Artificial Intelligence Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2025, is currently pending before the Senate. If passed, it would establish a dedicated commission to coordinate AI strategy, research, and ethical deployment. However, the Bill in its present form focuses primarily on development and innovation promotion, with limited provisions on criminal liability, evidence handling, or enforcement against AI-facilitated cybercrime, leaving the core accountability and evidentiary gaps largely unaddressed.

AI as a Double-Edged Sword
AI paradoxically enables both defence and attack. Nigerian financial institutions deploy AI for real-time fraud detection and pattern recognition. Conversely, cybercriminals exploit generative AI for deepfake creation, automated credential stuffing, and convincing phishing tailored to Nigerian English and Pidgin. The same technology that powers fraud detection systems can be weaponised to evade them. Take justice delivery as an example, the Evidence Act 2011 (as amended 2023) admits computer-generated evidence under Section 84, but remains silent on AI’s capacity to seamlessly generate or alter electronic records, creating “doctored AI-generated evidence”. These and many more issues await Nigeria’s digital space in the coming years.

The Legal Gaps

There are multiple critical gaps that undermine AI governance. For this article, three are considered. First, no framework attributes criminal liability when an autonomous AI commits an offence. The question of whether the developer, user, or owner should bear criminal responsibility for the acts of an autonomous system remains entirely unanswered under Nigerian law, leaving prosecutors without a clear legal theory of culpability.

Second, Section 84 of the Evidence Act 2011 governs computer-generated evidence but does not address AI-generated outputs. The Act’s definition of “computer” excludes AI’s cognitive processing capabilities, creating a statutory blind spot where evidence produced by generative or autonomous systems falls outside the existing admissibility framework.

Third, Nigeria lacks any framework for mandatory AI-generated content labelling, impeding deepfake traceability. Computer-generated evidence under Section 84 of the Evidence Act 2011 remains admissible if unchallenged at trial, a dangerous precedent for AI evidence, as opposing parties may lack the technical capacity to mount any challenge at all.

Comparative Jurisdictions: Rich Laws, Tangible Results

Jurisdictions with advanced AI laws demonstrate clear outcomes. The EU AI Act (Regulation 2024/1689) mandates transparency obligations, requiring synthetic content labelling and informing individuals when interacting with AI systems; non-compliance triggers significant penalties. The US Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2023 is a proposed Act that will require impact assessments for high-risk AI systems in housing, credit, and employment, with FTC enforcement and a public repository. China implemented mandatory measures for the Identification of AI-generated (Synthetic) content. These rules, mandated by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and others, require explicit (visible labels) and implicit (watermarks/metadata) identification for all AI-generated text, images, audio, video, and virtual scenes to ensure transparency, traceability, and combat disinformation. These laws contribute to measurable results: forensic traceability, expedited prosecution of deepfake fraud, and clear liability chains. Nigeria has none of these.

Hope or Illusion?

Without legislative intervention, AI’s promise against cybercrime remains an illusion. Nigeria requires the following to boost its hope:

Amendment of the Cybercrimes Act to include AI-specific offences and mandatory content provenance standards;
Revision of Section 84 of the Evidence Act 2011 to address AI-generated evidence credibility, not merely admissibility;
Investment in digital forensic capabilities is currently hampered by inadequate enforcement, weak forensic capabilities, and a lack of specialised personnel; and
A risk-based framework drawing from EU and US models.
Review of both secondary and tertiary education curricula to address the knowledge gap in AI and prepare the next generation for the AI-driven future.

Conclusion

AI can help curb cybercrime in Nigeria, but only if legal capacity catches up with technical capability. The Cybercrimes Act 2024 amendments were a step forward, but they did not address AI accountability, algorithmic transparency, or evidentiary credibility. The pending National Artificial Intelligence Commission Bill, 2025, signals legislative awareness, but without substantive provisions on liability, evidence, and enforcement, it cannot fill the existing gaps. The effectiveness of existing frameworks remains a question. An optimistic but cautious path exists, but until Nigeria enacts AI-specific legislation, whether through amending the Cybercrimes Act, revising the Evidence Act, or strengthening the pending Bill, weak laws will remain unable to support strong technology.

Nafisat Damisa is a Legal Research Associate in Olives and Candles – Legal Practitioners. For further information, enquiries, or clarification, please contact Nafisat via: [email protected] or [email protected]

Feature/OPED

Before Oil Hits $150: A Warning Nigeria Cannot Ignore

Published

2 days ago

05/05/2026

Business Post Contributor

By Isah Kamisu Madachi

As of April 30, 2026, the crude price is said to have reached $125 in the global market. The all-time high price per barrel was recorded in 2008, when it surged to $147. It is obvious that the price is heading in that direction or even towards what experts have predicted — crude reaching a new all-time high of $150 in the near future if crude passages remain closed in the Middle East, which would ultimately come with several disproportionate challenges for businesses and households.

In Nigeria, what began as a mild adjustment in the price of gasoline and other refined crude products has not stopped anywhere until it reached N1,400 per litre of petrol at filling stations. When the price was surging, experts in energy, economics, marketing, business and other relevant fields tried to come up with explanations for how Nigeria, despite housing the largest petrochemicals refinery in Africa and being one of the largest oil-exporting countries on the continent, would continue to absorb this shock.

Despite our advantages, Nigeria recorded the world’s second-highest surge in petrol prices following the escalating geopolitical tension in the Middle East. In Africa, Nigeria has the highest spike, with many sources citing it at 39.5% and above. Even non-oil-producing countries in Africa, and countries that do not refine a drop of oil, did not experience this surge. Also, African countries like South Africa at 1%, Morocco at 2.1%, and Tanzania at 2.7% experienced far smaller increases that are nowhere near Nigeria’s.

To put it in context, South Korea, Japan, and China are among the foremost dependents on the Strait of Hormuz, whose closure escalated the crude price, but none of these countries has recorded even a 20% increase in their petrol prices. Nigeria does not import its crude through the Strait of Hormuz. Yet, as an oil-exporting nation, we have suffered some of the sharpest petrol price increases in Africa.

What went wrong in Nigeria to warrant this surge is not the primary focus of this piece. What lies ahead is. As a result of the increase in petrol prices, Nigerians have been disproportionately affected. Life has become unbearably difficult, with sharp increases in transportation costs, rising food prices, and higher costs of goods and services. Even charging points that used to collect N150 for charging a phone or battery now charge N300 or more.

As it stands, the gap between the current crude price and the predicted new all-time high is about $25. This means that if the passages continue to remain closed, we are not far from another historic price peak. It is even said that reopening the passages may not immediately stabilise prices, as crude tankers would still take time to reach their destinations.

What this means for Nigeria is another sharp increase in refined petroleum product prices, which could trigger another wave of stagflation. Already struggling, Nigerians do not deserve this. They are only just adapting to the post-subsidy era, yet are being hit again by another round of global geopolitical tensions. Many are already in deep energy poverty, with businesses struggling due to unstable electricity supply.

Therefore, as crude oil prices hover above $125 per barrel and threaten to reach the predicted $150 if disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz persist, Nigeria must act decisively to shield its citizens. The Dangote Refinery exists. Nigeria refines oil. What the federal government owes Nigerians at this point is a deliberate policy decision to make that the refinery serve domestic needs first, with pricing that does not mirror whatever is happening in the global market. That is not complicated; other oil-producing countries do exactly this.

The NMDPRA has the authority to act on this. The question is whether there is a political will to act before another price wave hits and Nigerians are once again left to absorb what their counterparts elsewhere never have to.

Sub-national governments also have something to do. Commercial motorcyclists and small business owners are the people who feel every petrol price increase the hardest and the fastest. Pushing CNG and LPG adoption among this group beyond the FCT and Lagos, with genuine support, would cushion a significant part of the next shock. Expanding solar access in underserved communities would do the same. A shop owner running on solar is not at the mercy of the next diesel price spike.

These solutions are quite feasible. Nigeria has attempted versions of them before. Where we often seem to get it wrong is in execution, and Nigeria has to treat this with the same urgency and seriousness as given to elections, for the well-being of its citizens. The only thing that has never matched the problem is the seriousness of the response.

Isah Kamisu Madachi is a policy analyst and development practitioner. He writes via [email protected]

Feature/OPED

A Simple Guide to Obtaining Pension Clearance Certificate in Nigeria

Published

3 days ago

04/05/2026

Business Post Contributor

By Gbolahan Oluyemi

In 2025, the National Pension Commission (PenCom) directed all Licensed Pension Fund Operators (LPFOs) to demand a Pension Clearance Certificate (PCC) from service providers before engaging their services. This new policy typically affects various types of entities, including small and medium-scale enterprises, most of which are not usually compliance-driven. Following this directive, the PCC has become an essential compliance document for both large, medium and small-scale firms. This article provides a guide on what a PCC is, why it matters, and how it can be obtained.

What is a Pension Clearance Certificate (PCC)?

A Pension Clearance Certificate (PCC) is an official document issued by PenCom confirming that an organisation has complied with the provisions of the Pension Reform Act. It is an annual document that must be renewed every year at no cost. The yearly renewal is intended to ensure that organisations treat compliance as a continuous activity rather than a one-off act.

Why is a PCC Important?

The PCC is important because it demonstrates that an organisation is compliant with the provisions of the Pension Reform Act, especially as it relates to employee pension contributions under Section 4 (1) of the Pension Reform Act and subscription to group life insurance under Section 4 (5) of the Pension Reform Act. It is also required for certain transactions, such as government contracts and engagements with compliance-sensitive partners. In essence, a PCC assures investors, partners, and clients that your business is properly structured and compliant with regulatory requirements.

Who Needs a Pension Clearance Certificate?

Under Nigerian law, companies with three or more employees are required to participate in the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). If your organisation employs at least three staff members and provides or intends to provide services to Licensed Pension Fund Operators (LPFOs) or other regulated entities, you are expected to obtain a PCC annually.

How Do I Obtain a PCC?

PenCom issues the PCC electronically and at no cost through its web portal: https://pcc.pencom.gov.ng/. Please note that Applicants who are just beginning compliance and remitting employees’ pensions are required to first obtain an employer code from a Pension Fund Administrator (PFA). This code is necessary to initiate the PCC application on the PenCom portal.

Upon logging into the portal, you will be required to complete your company profile by providing your date of incorporation, contact details, and website (if applicable), as well as uploading your CAC documents.

Next, you will upload an Excel schedule (using the template provided on the website) containing your employee list. After this, you will be required to upload Excel sheets detailing pension contributions. You will also need to upload your organisation’s group life insurance documentation and payment instrument.

Finally, you will review your application and submit it for further processing by PenCom. Before commencing an application, ensure you have the following:

Certificate of Incorporation (CAC documents)
Group Life Insurance Policy for employees
Evidence of Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) registration for employees
Three years’ proof of monthly pension remittances, including penalties for any defaults (where applicable). For companies less than three years old, provide proof of remittances from the date of incorporation
A valid Tax Identification Number (TIN)
An employee schedule showing staff details and contributions (usually in Excel format) Templates are available on the PenCom portal

Also note that for the portal to accept employee details and remittance records, employees must have completed their data capture with their respective Pension Fund Administrator and updated their records to reflect their current employer.

Conclusion

Obtaining a Pension Clearance Certificate in Nigeria may seem technical at first, but once proper processes are established, it becomes routine. The key is consistency in remittance, maintenance of accurate records and prioritisation of compliance in overall operations.

For many Nigerian businesses, the PCC is more than a regulatory requirement; it is a mark of credibility. In a competitive environment, that credibility can make all the difference.

Gbolahan Oluyemi is a Legal Practitioner and currently leads Olives and Candles – Legal Practitioners. For further information, enquiries, or clarification, please contact Gbolahan via: [email protected] or [email protected]