When people hear the word “riot,” what often come to mind is chaos, upheaval, and unrestrained movement. “Running riot” connotes wild energy, breaking free from norms, and making an impact that cannot be ignored. However, in the marketing world, RIOT has redefined this concept entirely. In their hands, the term does not symbolize disorder—it is disruption, strategic boldness, and a willingness to push boundaries in ways that shake up the status quo. RIOT, the marketing agency, has become synonymous with “Right Ideas, On Time.” In a sector crowded with professional “yes men” and trend-chasers, RIOT has carved a niche as the agency that dares to ask, “What if?”—and then turns those questions into groundbreaking campaigns.
Operating from Nigeria’s commercial nerve center, Lagos, RIOT is a force, a movement. This full-service marketing powerhouse approaches every project with an unconventional mindset, ensuring that brands don’t just communicate but dominate. In the relatively short time it has commenced operations in this market, it has built a reputation for unleashing ideas and executing campaigns that defy convention, challenge norms, and resonate deeply with audiences.
This is the story of how a tenacious startup, born in 2022, became one of Nigeria’s most audacious marketing disruptor by 2024—and why its trajectory in 2025 demands global attention.
The Genesis of a Rebel
RIOT’s origin story is rooted in firsthand frustration. Co-founder Justin Essien, a 10-year veteran of Nigeria’s marketing scene, spent years navigating the limitations of traditional agencies. His career spanned PR at Zebra Stripes NG, strategy roles at Alive Now (Inc.) UAE, and leadership at Utopia Media Group before a six-year stint on the client side as a Senior Brand Manager for the Sevenup Bottling Company (SBC). These experiences exposed a glaring gap: agencies often operated as detached vendors, not invested partners.
“We’ve experienced first-hand the frustration that can come from outsourcing to people that, at the end of the day, don’t know your company, your market, or your brand,” Essien explains. This disconnect inspired RIOT’s founding principle: “We’re not just another vendor—we’re in the trenches as part of your in-house marketing team.”
Launched barely three years ago, RIOT positioned itself as a “client partner” or an “Agency’s Agency,” offering anonymous support to brands and other agencies. Their niche? Solving pain points behind the scenes while prioritizing creativity over clout.
Riding on the waves of disruption to create impact
The year 2024 tested Nigeria’s economy—and its marketers—like never before. The Naira’s precipitous decline turned salaries into “subsistence” wages and forced brands to slash budgets. Essien recalls it as a “major low,” noting how clients’ struggles “directly impacted marketing spend negatively.”
“The creative marketing industry is a direct reflection of the economy—struggling heavily, but with immense opportunities arising from new tech, new trends, and new client frontiers,” Essien says. For RIOT, survival meant doubling down on problem-solving, not pandering. “Definitely both [challenging and eventful],” says Justin Essien, Co-Founder of RIOT. “But with the absolute torpedoing of the Naira’s value, it was more the former than the latter. Watching the salaries of those you are committed to go from substantial to subsistence was a major low. Clients also struggled—and that directly impacted marketing spend negatively.”
Yet, RIOT thrived. By embracing what Essien calls “ingenuity and tenacity,” the agency leaned into its core philosophy: storytelling that “touches the soul.” While competitors retreated, RIOT avoided “roads well traveled,” focusing instead on brave, daring work tailored to Nigeria’s unique challenges.
A Commitment to Daring Work
The Nigerian marketing industry, much like its economy, is in a constant state of flux. Trends come and go, but few agencies have the vision and audacity to lead rather than follow. RIOT has built its reputation on doing exactly that.
“The short answer to the problem is that all stakeholders need to return to the core of what we do—love for solving problems in the most creative, exciting way possible, as against just hopping on trends,” Essien explains.
This philosophy is deeply ingrained in RIOT’s DNA. It is not an agency that simply executes campaigns; it is a brand partner that embeds itself in the business of its clients. Unlike many traditional agencies that operate at a distance, RIOT functions as an extension of its clients’ teams, staying accessible and available 24/7, 365 days a year.
The agency’s most remarkable campaigns remain shrouded in secrecy, bound by NDAs. This anonymity is deliberate. As an “Agency’s Agency,” they thrive behind the scenes, empowering other firms and brands to shine.
“Our NDAs do not allow us to brag about our favorite campaigns from the last two years as they were services provided as a quiet partner,” Essien reveals. “Anonymous client and agency support is one of our specialties.” Yet their impact is undeniable. In 2024, RIOT became the go-to partner for brands needing innovative solutions without the spotlight—proving that true disruption doesn’t always need a byline.
This business model has made RIOT an agency of choice for brands and other agencies looking for exceptional but discreet execution. Whether through marketing strategy, branding, content creation, or digital storytelling, RIOT ensures that its clients shine—even if the world never knows who was behind the magic.
At the core of RIOT’s operations is a simple yet powerful mantra: Right Ideas, On Time. This is more than a tagline—it is a promise. It is what guides the agency’s work ethic, its decision-making, and its approach to campaigns. “Our philosophy is to tell stories that the audience not only relates to but will own and run riot with.”
The agency’s refusal to settle for mediocrity has set it apart. In a market where safe, predictable campaigns dominate, RIOT challenges its clients to go further, take bolder steps, and tell stories that genuinely resonate. “We only want to do work that touches the soul, and only want clients that desire such work. We’re okay with not having everybody.”
RIOT in 2025
If 2024 was the year RIOT disrupted the market, 2025 will be the year it further reiterates it position as the agency to watch. Indeed, the agency has in a few years proven that the future of marketing is not about playing it safe. It is about pushing boundaries, telling unforgettable stories, and being willing to take risks that others shy away from.
In a landscape that often rewards conformity, RIOT has chosen the path of innovation. its ability to remain impactful while staying largely in the shadows is what makes it such a fascinating force in Nigeria’s marketing industry.
Indeed, in 2025, the agency remains one to watch if not for anything, then for one thing—RIOT will not be playing it safe. “Expect us to run riot. That much you can guarantee. But don’t expect us to brag about it, because a lot of the time we won’t be taking credit for it.”
For brands that are tired of the conventional and want to make a real impact, RIOT offers an opportunity to break free from the ordinary.
With 2025 already underway and brands looking for new ways to make an impact, RIOT is poised to be the agency that delivers. If the past is any indication, the agency will not only execute groundbreaking campaigns but will do so in a way that ensures its clients, not itself, remain in the spotlight.
For those looking to not just exist but to dominate in their industry, one thing is clear—it’s time to run RIOT.