The Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), the umbrella body for advertising professionals in Nigeria, has announced the kick-off of the 21st edition of the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF).
The announcement was made by the newly re-elected President of AAAN, Lanre Adisa, during a press conference held on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Lagos.
At the event, AAAN also unveiled a new leadership for the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF) Management Board. The newly appointed Board comprises Funke Adekola as Chairman, Jumoke Akinyele as Vice Chairman, Victor Oyarero, Tobi Williams, Rotimi Ade-Onajobi, Toheeb Balogun, Anne Obaseki, Dr. Meksley Nwagboh, Segun Akinyemiju, Sandra Amachree, Israel Obatunde, Olabisi Olusanya and Jonathan Oyovwevotu.
Speaking at the press conference, Adisa described this year’s LAIF theme, “From Glitch to Great,” as more than just a slogan, describing it as a powerful reminder that the path to greatness is rarely perfect.
“Every great idea faces obstacles. Every creative breakthrough is preceded by moments of doubt, disruption, experimentation, and even glitches. What distinguishes great creators is not the absence of challenges but the courage and resilience to learn, adapt, and keep creating. In many ways, it is the natural progression from grit through the inevitable glitches to greatness. That is the story of LAIF, and indeed, the story of creativity itself,” he said.
He noted that AAAN remains committed to elevating LAIF from West Africa’s leading celebration of creativity to a globally respected benchmark for creative excellence, comparable to international award platforms such as Loeries, African Cristal and Pitcher Awards.
“That journey from glitch to great, from local acclaim to global relevance, will demand more from all of us: more originality, more craft, more innovation, and more courage to create ideas that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the very best in the world,” he added.
In her remarks, Chairman of the newly constituted LAIF Management Board, Funke Adekola, said the Board is committed to building on the achievements of previous administrations while creating a festival that reflects the evolving realities of the marketing communications industry.
She said the Board would also establish a governance structure that mirrors the modern creative economy and position LAIF not only as the champion of creative advertising but also as the benchmark for business and cultural impact across Africa.
“As we step into a brand-new cycle today, we are not here merely to announce an award show. We are here to announce an evolution. This Board stands on the shoulders of two decades of remarkable progress, and we are stepping into this season with a commitment to honour our past while fearlessly defining our future,” Adekola said.
The week-long festival will feature knowledge-sharing sessions, including C-suite fireside chats and masterclasses on technology, artificial intelligence, brand strategy and commercial growth. Other activities include youth hackathons for professionals under 30 and university chapters under the Young LAIFers and UniLAIFers initiatives, the Nominees Party and the LAIF Awards Gala.
The 2026 LAIF Festival Week will hold from November 23 to November 28, 2026, while entry dates will be announced in due course.
