The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has announced the 2026 edition of its Advertising Industry Colloquium, saying the stakeholder engagement forum is aimed at bridging the gap between academia and industry while promoting dialogue on emerging issues shaping the advertising and marketing communications sector.
The announcement was contained in a press statement signed by Prof. Rotimi Olatunji, Chairman, National Planning Committee, Advertising Industry Colloquium and Journal Committee of ARCON.
According to the statement, the colloquium, themed “The Future of Advertising: Roles of Platforms, People and Regulations,” will hold on August 6, 2025, bringing together regulators, policymakers, academia, advertisers, advertising agencies, media organisations, digital platforms, technology companies, legal experts, brand custodians, content creators and other stakeholders across the industry.
ARCON said the colloquium comes at a defining moment for the advertising industry as technological innovation, artificial intelligence, digital platforms and changing consumer behaviour continue to reshape the way advertising content is created, distributed and consumed.
The council noted that while these developments offer significant opportunities for innovation and economic growth, they also raise critical issues relating to ethics, consumer protection, transparency, accountability and regulatory oversight.
According to the statement, the colloquium will feature a lineup of notable speakers, including the Academic Director of Lagos Business School’s Tech-Leap Initiative, Olu Akanmu; the Managing Director of New Crystal Communications Limited, Dozie Mbanefo; Professor Adepoju Tejumaiye of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, University of Lagos; Head of Digital Marketing at Olam Agri, Dotun Babatunde; and former Advertising Standards Panel (ASP) Chairman, Omowunmi Owodunni, among others.
ARCON also disclosed that one of the major highlights of the event will be the Students’ Advertising Pitch Competition, where finalists from a pre-event competition will compete for honours.
The council stated that six tertiary institutions representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones have qualified for the final competition. They are the University of Ilorin, Kwara State University, Kaduna State University, Ebonyi State University, Rivers State University and Lagos State University.
The statement added that participants at the colloquium would benefit from keynote presentations, panel discussions and interactive sessions featuring experts from government, regulatory institutions, academia, professional bodies and the private sector.
“As the statutory regulator of advertising in Nigeria, ARCON remains committed to promoting an advertising ecosystem anchored on professionalism, fairness, creativity, consumer protection and global best practices,” the statement said.
The council called on stakeholders across the advertising value chain to participate in the 2026 Advertising Industry Colloquium and contribute to building a future-ready advertising industry that is innovative, inclusive, ethical and accountable.