CORPORATE SWAGGER LEAGUE: 10 NIGERIAN COMPANIES WHOSE EMPLOYEES HAVE GOT THE MOST SWAGGER

Swagger – well, forget about how dictionary defines it, “swagger” is used in Nigeria to mean carriage, packaging or even brand.  So in this post, we are sticking to the Nigerian definition.

But first thing first, does swagger actually matter? Yes and no. No, because it hardly affects salary. Yes, because it is a social plus.

So, here we go. Here is a list of Top 10 Nigerian Companies that have got the most swagger.

1. SHELL: Well, well, Shell is the poster boy of “good employment” in Nigeria. In fact, 90% of Nigerian students – even those that read Yoruba and made “fourth class” if it ever exists, want to work in Shell. This is well known, but Jobberman 2013 survey also confirmed this. But beyond that, Shell employees have got class. Did anyone say before nko? Well, it is not automatic, not all multinationals have that level of carriage.

2. PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS: You see, PwC may not have the most beautiful of chics, but you have to give it to them – they have class. PwC is one place that, within two weeks of working there, you forget your “ayam” accent, even if you never stepped out of Nigeria. PwC employees have carriage and very smart not just in appearance, but upstairs. They are well polished.

3. ACCENTURE: Accenture is not a “street-hold” name in Nigeria because of the nature of their business – not one you see on the road, but give it to them, they have class, so are their employees. It will not take five minutes of chat with any Accenture employee before you see the class. And it is a swagger backed by substance. You see clean, cute chaps that sweep you off your feat.

4. SCHLUMBERGER: You hardly see Schlum guys just anywhere, but wherever you come across them, you see difference, especially on weekends. When on a Sunday evening, you see one young chap in designer T-Shirt on a nice jeans, cruising that eye-turning car into Shoprite, you may have seen a Schlum big boy!

5. EXXONMOBIL: If you ever went for test or interview with Mobil, this should not be strange. This company has got employees with poise and class. From their steps to speech, they exude intimidating confidence.

6. NLNG: NLNG is one of the highest paying companies in Nigeria and it is no surprise that their employees are well respected. When you see that bespectacled small chic cruising  that latest Toyota Camry from Lekki phase 1, chances are she’s an NLNG big babe.

7. SAHARA ENERGY: Some people will say they are arrogant, but you can’t take away anything from staff of Sahara Group – young, dynamic and upwardly mobile guys.

8. CHANNELS TV: Channels TV guys are fashionistas. Looking at them alone will make you not want to switch channel, especially when compared with the oversize-suit-wearing newscasters in some stations. ChannelsTV employees are way ahead of others in their industry in term of finesse and poise. They’ve got swagger.

9. ZENITH BANK: Zenith Bank is far from being the highest paying bank in Nigeria, but it is widely regarded as the most swaggerlicious bank in Nigeria. Even their corporate mantra, “in your best interest”, has an air of swagger, some say arrogance. Well, a survey conducted by users of Nairaland, Nigeria’s largest online discussion forum ranks them the bank with most good-looking staff. Very obvious, actually. Zenith Bank and their employees have got class.

10. CITIBANK: Citibank hardly makes noise. People with class don’t. Citibank as a company and their employees have this aura of respectability.

Okay, this is just the opinion of JarusHub editors, but hey, very few people are more observant of the sociology of Corporate Nigeria than us. So you can actually take that to bank.

NB: Citibank, Mobil, Accenture, PwC, Schlumberger and Shell are not Nigerian companies, but we settled for the phrase “Nigerian Companies”, rather than a rather long but correct “Companies Operating in Nigeria” just to be concise.