Adisa, Babaeko Charge Government To Engage Professionals, Deploy Expertise To Amplify National Progress At NAC
Leaders of Nigeria’s advertising and marketing communications industry have made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to take the sector seriously and leverage its expertise to better project the nation’s achievements and amplify government initiatives across all sectors.
Speaking at the 5th National Advertising Conference (NAC) 2025 held at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, the industry leaders emphasized that while the government may be implementing impactful programmes across various sectors, these efforts often go unnoticed due to poor communication strategies, a gap the advertising industry is uniquely positioned to fill.
Speaking on behalf of the Presidents of all advertising sectoral groups, Mr. Lanre Adisa, Chairman of the Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups (HASG) and President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), assured the government of the industry’s readiness to partner in making “Brand Nigeria” the best in the world.
Adisa who represents the umbrella body that brings together practitioners from across the industry explained, “Nigeria has some of the best creative talents in the world, and the government will have in us the best partner to make that happen,” Adisa declared. “All the people that make brands matter in Nigeria are here. There are brands that have come to Nigeria, have excelled so much and made so much impact around the world from being in Nigeria. They believe in Nigeria.”
The AAAN President emphasized that the skills and talent available in Nigeria’s advertising sector would be of no use if not deployed for the country’s benefit. “Nobody knows Nigeria better than Nigerians, and we in the industry can make that happen,” he stated emphatically.
Looking ahead, Adisa outlined a strategic vision for collaboration between the government and the advertising industry over the next five to seven years, with the goal of ensuring all Nigerians benefit from the creative talent pool available in the country. “This is the starting point for us in the next five to seven years: how do we make all Nigerians take advantage of the talent that’s available?” he asked rhetorically, before assuring the Minister and government representatives present that the industry stands ready to be a reliable partner.
“On behalf of the industry, we can assure you that taking it from this point, we would like to partner with you to make Brand Nigeria excel and be the best in the world,” Adisa pledged, drawing applause from the audience.
Also speaking earlier in the same vein, Mr. Steve Babaeko, President of the International Advertising Association (IAA) Nigeria Chapter and Group CEO/Chief Creative Officer of X3M Ideas, used the platform to highlight Nigeria’s growing global influence in the advertising world, urging the government to recognize and harness this potential.
He emphasized the critical role advertising plays in governance and nation-building, stressing that the government needs the industry’s expertise to effectively communicate its programmes and policies.
“If the government is doing something, doing anything, how is this known? They may be doing a lot and nobody knows about it.” Driving home the point that effective communication is as important as effective governance, he also urged government to engage the advertising industry in helping them communicate this better.
Babaeko, who was recently elected Vice President and Area Director for Africa on the IAA’s Global Board for the 2025-2028 term, told the Information Minister and gathering that his election represents the first time a Nigerian has been elected to such a position, a feat that further demonstrating that “Nigeria and Nigerians are pulling their weight globally.”
The International Advertising Association (IAA) is the world’s leading network uniting marketing, communications, and media professionals, and Babaeko’s elevation to its global leadership shows the caliber of talent available in Nigeria’s advertising ecosystem.
The 5th National Advertising Conference, organized by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), provided an ideal platform for this critical dialogue between government and industry. The three-day event, which has attracted over 400 delegates, brought together marketing, advertising, media, and government stakeholders to discuss the theme “Marketing Communication: Transforming Business and Creating Growth in Challenging Times.”