NJOMACS

In a society fueled by information and knowledge, public perception has become a germane asset that can make or mar an organisation, especially in a high-risk industry like the oil and gas. The study evaluates “Public Perception of the Reputation Management Strategies of Dangote Group Refinery (DORC) in Nigeria. The oil and gas sector is associated with environmental, socio-economic and regulatory issues that continues to heighten scrutiny and tensions, making reputation management a critical asset. It requires strategic communication, crisis response and stakeholder engagement to enhance organisational sustainability and public trust. The research sought to identify the reputation management strategies used by DORC, assess public awareness of these strategies, and evaluate the influence of digital media platforms in shaping public perception. Using the quantitative survey method and a structured questionnaire, data was collected from 381 respondents across diverse demographic segments. The findings revealed that a majority of the public are aware of DORC’s strategies, particularly media relations and press release, digital and social media platforms campaigns, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects. Respondents rated there awareness of the recognised strategies as moderately to highly effective in managing the DORC’s public image. Social media platforms emerged as the most widely used channel through which information about DORC is sourced, drawing attention to the increasing pertinence of digital media communication. Still, the study also identified gaps, especially among older age groups and less digitally active stakeholders, pinpointing the essence of increased inclusive and diverse engagement strategies as well as offline reputation management strategies. Based on the findings, the study recommends that DORC should enhance a two-way communication approach and its grassroots engagement, carry out internal communication assessment to improve message clarity, and integrate more participatory feedback mechanisms to foster public trust and generate goodwill.