Every organization must understand that demand will not be captured through competition alone but will be shaped or granted by external forces outside market’s control. These forces include inflation cycles which affect consumer purchasing power, interest-rate regimes, regulatory posture, demographic shifts, technology diffusion, energy transitions, geopolitics, and cultural re-prioritization.

These forces, which cannot be controlled but navigated, now determine who can afford what, what feels necessary, why purchases are delayed, and why loyalty fractures.

Organizations that still treat the macro environment as an externality to be reviewed annually will misread demand, misallocate capital, and over-invest in tactics that cannot overcome structural headwinds.

In Nigeria and across Africa, political decisions directly impact business operations. An example of the impact of the political environment was seen when the Nigerian government removed fuel subsidies in 2023. The ripple effects touched every sector. Transportation costs skyrocketed, logistics became more expensive, and purchasing power declined sharply. Companies like Dangote, Nestle Nigeria, Nigerian Breweries and Unilever Nigeria had to make difficult decisions.

Some increased prices, knowing they would lose price-sensitive customers. Others absorbed some costs to maintain market share, accepting reduced margins. The political decision wasn’t within their control, but how they responded to it determined their fate.

Multichoice Nigeria offers an instructive case study in managing economic pressures. Faced with forex challenges that increased their content acquisition costs, they have had to raise DSTV and GOtv subscription prices multiple times. Each increase risks customer churn to competitors like StarTimes or pushes customers toward free-to-air options. Their response has been to introduce more flexible bouquets, offer payment plans, and invest in local content. They are navigating economic headwinds by adjusting their offering to match what customers can afford while maintaining profitability. Their introduction of Showmax 2.0 in 2024 was a strategic masterstroke that helped to protect their subscriber base against existential threats.

Social media has fundamentally altered the social-cultural landscape. When Nigerians express displeasure about a brand on Twitter (now X), the backlash can be swift and devastating. Organization must be very concerned about their products and services. They must not allow a situation where they will be called out for poor customer service, and the tweets will go viral. In 2026, your brand reputation is shaped as much by your social media presence and crisis response as by your actual product quality.

The technological environment is perhaps the most dynamic of all the macro factors. In 2026, artificial intelligence isn’t coming but has arrived. Businesses across Africa are either adapting AI or becoming irrelevant. Leveraging technological infrastructure, Moniepoint did not only deploy POS terminals but has also architected a technological ecosystem that transforms SMEs into the central nervous system of financial inclusion in Nigeria. On the other hand, traditional banks have had to partner with or acquire fintech companies because technology was disrupting their business models faster than they could adapt internally. The opportunity cost and risk of not moving faster were too high.

The environmental factors are increasingly significant. Climate change such as extreme weather in the North and severe flooding in the South affect agricultural yields, which impacts food processing companies like Flour Mills Nigeria (FMN), Honeywell, Nestle and Cadbury Nigeria. These companies have had to work more closely with farmers, invest in climate-resilient supply chains, and sometimes reformulate products when key ingredients become scarce or expensive. FMN is investing heavily in backward integration to reduce reliance on expensive climate-sensitive imports. Nestlé Nigeria prioritizes sourcing key ingredients like maize, sorghum, soybean, millet, cocoa, and coffee locally. This reduces exposure to global supply shocks and currency volatility.

The legal and regulatory environment completes the macro picture. When the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) tightens regulations, food and beverage companies must comply or exit the market. When the Central Bank of Nigeria introduces new banking regulations, banks must adapt. PZ Cussons Nigeria’s decision to discontinue some product lines and focus on core brands was partly driven by regulatory compliance costs and the economic environment. It is a stark reminder that legal and regulatory pressures, combined with economic realities, force strategic choices that directly impact your market presence. On the other hand, Interswitch and SystemSpecs (Remita) grew by leaning into regulation and building rails that others must use.

You cannot control the weather, but you can absolutely build a ship that can weather any storm. In the macro-environment, the political, economic, social-cultural, technological, environmental and legal frameworks could either militate against your business or enhance its survival. Your ability to navigate through these peaks and troughs determines your survival and increase in market share. Your inability to maneuver through this terrain will lead to decline in performance and an inevitable shift of customers away from your product.

Organizations must proactively address macro factors thereby turning threats into advantages. This season will reward marketers who read the environments honestly, offer value the customer can feel, and execute with discipline. Also, the regulator must be respected and you must measure what moves money. Navigate like this, and you won’t just survive the peaks and troughs but also take share and build brands that endure.

Oluwole Dada is the General Manager at SecureID Limited, Africa’s largest smart card manufacturing plant in Lagos, Nigeria.