ABSTRACT:

The perception of any country is a vital ingredient in assessing her international standing. This implies that a country with negative or image crisis is a bad item in the diplomatic market. Nigeria‟s international image has oscillated between periods of positivity and negativity, with the latter being preponderant.  Citizen diplomacy as Nigeria‟s foreign policy thrust emerged in 2007 to interrogate and reconstruct the country‟s dwindling image in the international system. Through secondary sources of data and social constructivism as framework of analysis, the paper posits that restoration and sustenance of citizen diplomacy and vigorous drive have the potentials for creating a better image for Nigeria. Other recommendations proffered can also redress the image deficit of the country