In Nigeria, certain brand names have achieved such widespread popularity that they are used interchangeably with the products themselves. Over time, these brand names have become so ingrained in everyday language that many Nigerians use them as generic terms, regardless of the purchased brand.
This article includes brand names that have become generic for everyday products in Nigeria.
1. Indomie
I know you’re expecting this brand name. Regardless of the brand, Indomie has become a generic name for instant noodles in Nigeria. With diverse noodle brands in Nigeria, such as Indomie, Chikki, Mimee, Honeywell, Golden Penny, Dangote, and others, Indomie has remained a household name that is used to refer to every noodle brand in the country.
2. Super Glue
Super Glue is the name of a brand of cyanoacrylate adhesive invented by Dr. Harry Coover in 1942. This brand name has become a generic name for every brand of adhesive in Nigeria.
3. NEPA
Nigeria’s power sector was formally referred to as the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) before its privatization in 2005, when the name was changed to the Power Holding Company Nigeria (PHCN). Long after this privatization in 2005, Nigerians have remained stuck with the acronym NEPA, neglecting the new identity of the power sector, PHCN, and the subsequent acronyms and abbreviations for each Distribution company.
4. Dettol
Dettol, a widely used antiseptic liquid/disinfectant by Reckitt, has become a household name for all disinfectants in Nigeria.
Read Also:
5. Macleans
Over the years, Macleans, a toothpaste brand manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc, has become a generic name for all kinds of toothpaste in Nigeria. Regardless of the presence of other brands like Close-Up, Oral-B, Colgate, Pepsodent, Dabur, and others, Macleans remains a household name in Nigeria.
6. Pampers
Disposable diapers have over the years been referred to as pampers which is the product name of disposable diapers marketed by Procter and Gamble.
7. Biro
In most parts of the world, Nigeria included, “Biro” has become the generic name used to refer to a ballpoint pen, which Hungarian journalist Laszlo Biro first invented in 1938.
8. Gala
It’s amazing how a number of us grew up referring to every sausage roll as “gala” and it had to take intentionality for us to know that the right term is sausage roll. Regardless, gala has become a household name for every brand of sausage roll in Nigeria and it is not going anywhere anytime soon.
9. Maggi
Maggi is another generic name that has stayed in the mouth of Nigerians over the decades. The term, which refers to the product name of a brand of bouillon cubes produced by the Swiss entrepreneur Julius Maggi in 1872, has become a generic name for all brands of bouillon cubes (seasoning cubes) in the country.
Over the years, the above products have become generic names for products in their respective categories because they are entrenched in Nigerian society. These brands highlight how certain brands have achieved a unique cultural status by building deep connections with Nigerians’ everyday lives.
and then