ADVAN Unveils International Jury For 2026 African Awards, Strengthens Rigorous Selection Process
As part of its commitment to strengthening a rigorous selection process, the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) has officially unveiled the jury for the 2026 ADVAN African Awards for Marketing Excellence, assembling a diverse and influential panel of marketing leaders, academics, and industry practitioners from across Africa and beyond.
Positioned as one of the continent’s most credible platforms for recognising marketing impact and innovation, the ADVAN African Awards for Marketing Excellence celebrate outstanding campaigns, brand storytelling, and measurable business results. The awards continue to evolve in scope and rigour, reflecting the fast-changing dynamics of marketing across African markets.
At the heart of this year’s edition is a carefully curated, international jury tasked with upholding the integrity, transparency, and global relevance of the awards. The panel comprises seasoned professionals drawn from communications, research, academia, and brand leadership, each bringing a unique perspective to the evaluation process.
The 2026 jury includes Mouna Jazouli, Chief Communications and Institutional Relations Officer, Bank of Africa (Morocco); Emmanuella Milne, Research Consultant, Revelator Research Inc. (USA); Brian Yuyi, CEO, Marketing Association of South Africa (MASA) and Prof. Dixon-Ogbechi, Professor of Marketing & Decision Sciences (Nigeria).
Others include Bolajoko Nkemdinim, PhD, Professor of Marketing; Dr. Aderemi Victor Ademilua, Marketing Faculty, Covenant University (Nigeria); Abidemi Junaid, Director & Lead, Creative Domain, Kantar; Toruka Osadunkwu, Director, Marketing Heritage Ltd and Zion Rufus, Brand Strategist & Communications Expert and the Vice President of Communications and Events for the Association of Digital Marketing Professionals of Nigeria (ADMARP).
As the industry prepares for the awards ceremony on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the MUSON Centre, Rufus joins a jury tasked with identifying the brands and professionals who are not just meeting targets but redefining the future of African marketing.
Beyond its impressive composition, the jury underscores ADVAN’s commitment to a robust and merit-driven selection process. Entries for the awards undergo a multi-layered evaluation framework, beginning with eligibility screening and category alignment, followed by detailed scoring across key criteria such as creativity, strategic insight, execution, and measurable impact.
Jurors independently assess submissions before convening to deliberate and validate top entries, ensuring that winning campaigns not only demonstrate excellence in storytelling but also deliver tangible business and societal value. This rigorous process is designed to eliminate bias while maintaining consistency with global best practices in award judging.