Strategic Brand Management and Market Share in the Nigerian Telecommunications Industry

This study examines the effect of strategic brand management on market share outcomes for firms in the Nigerian telecommunications industry. The highly competitive Nigerian telecom market is characterized by intense brand rivalry among major mobile network operators, making brand strategy a critical determinant of subscriber acquisition and retention. The research targets brand strategy managers, marketing directors, and customer experience officers of four major telecom operators with national coverage. A total of 80 respondents across Lagos, Kano, and Enugu offices were selected through purposive sampling. Questionnaires measuring brand equity dimensions including brand awareness, perceived quality, and brand loyalty were administered. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Findings indicate that operators with the highest brand equity scores, particularly on dimensions of perceived network quality and customer care reputation, consistently achieve superior market share retention rates. The study finds that brand consistency across digital and physical customer touchpoints has a significantly positive moderating effect on market share outcomes. Investment in brand crisis management protocols is identified as a differentiating strategic capability that protects market share during service disruption events. The research concludes that Nigerian telecom operators must treat brand management as a board-level strategic priority rather than a marketing department function. Keywords: brand management, market share, telecommunications, Nigeria, brand equity.