NAC 2026: Industry Leaders To Deepen Discussions On Digital Marketing, AI Regulation, AfCFTA At NAC 2026
The sixth edition of the National Advertising Conference (NAC) will place at the centre of discussion, practical solutions to emerging industry challenges. Analyses and recommendations on salient issues like digital marketing and artificial intelligence (AI) regulation, as well as adequate implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, are expected to be key outcomes of the conference.
This was disclosed at a press briefing organised by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) last Tuesday at Léola Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, ahead of the three-day conference scheduled for November 11–13, 2026, at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
The conference, themed “Repositioning the Marketing Communications Industry for the Next Frontier,” is expected to bring together advertising, marketing, media and business leaders to examine the forces reshaping the industry.
Speaking at the press briefing, Chairman of the NAC 2026 Planning Committee, Mr. Tunji Adeyinka, said a cross-functional committee had been working for several months to develop practical recommendations on the regulation of digital marketing and AI.
According to him, the objective is to ensure that the committee’s work is discussed with ARCON and relevant stakeholders before the conference, allowing NAC to present an actionable regulatory model rather than another theoretical industry conversation.
A second committee is examining the implications of AfCFTA for the marketing communications industry, with organisers also hoping to present its report and an agreed action plan at the conference.
Adeyinka said the two initiatives reflected NAC’s evolution from a platform for industry discussions into an advocacy vehicle focused on addressing challenges and driving meaningful change.
The conference will open with a fireside chat featuring Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of Access Holdings Plc, who will draw on his experience navigating disruption and transformation in the financial services sector.
An economic outlook panel will feature Ugochukwu “Ugodre” Obi-Chukwu, CEO of Nairametrics, and Olu Akanmu, CEO, Board Advisor and Executive-in-Residence at Lagos Business School, alongside other business leaders. The session will examine Nigeria’s economic outlook and its implications for marketing communications and business planning.
The CMO Forum will feature Manpreet Singh, Group CMO, Tolaram Group; Idemudia Dima-Okojie, Head of Marketing, Mastercard West Africa; and Chioma Mbanugo, Chief Marketing Officer, PZ Wilmar.
Media measurement will also come under scrutiny, with Patrick Gomes, COO of MEIL, expected to discuss emerging trends from the rollout of People Meter television advertising measurement.
Other sessions will examine the intersection between marketing communications and the creative economy, data protection and compliance, language and cultural representation in advertising, and changing consumer behaviour.
A special panel, “The Future is Female,” will feature Mrs. Brenda Nwagwu, President of MIPAN; Mrs. Tolulope Medebem, President of EXMAN; and Dr. Bolajoko Bayo-Ajayi, President of NIMN. Industry veterans Mr. Lolu Akinwumi and Mr. ID Enang will also lead a session titled “Some Things Will Never Change,” focusing on enduring principles of the profession despite technological disruption.
Tolaram Group is the headline sponsor of NAC 2026, with FPL Media and MediaReach OMD also supporting the conference as sponsors.
Representing ARCON Director-General, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, Dr. (Mrs) Eme Akande welcomed the media and urged journalists to help expand awareness and participation in the conference. She noted that attendance grew to about 500 participants last year, with organisers targeting at least 700 this year.
Sectoral leaders at the briefing reinforced the need for NAC to produce practical outcomes.
Dr. Sola Akinsiku, President of OAN, and other industry leaders commended the conference’s role in bringing stakeholders together around issues affecting the profession.
Mr. Lanre Adisa Chairman of HASG and President of AAAN challenged the industry to assess its economic contribution and use credible data to strengthen advocacy for greater recognition. He also backed the focus on digital advertising and AI, stressing the need for the industry to develop appropriate policy responses.
EXMAN President, Mrs. Tolulope Medebem, called for stronger collaboration among industry stakeholders, ARCON and the NAC organising committee to ensure that discussions translate into workable solutions.
MIPAN President, Mrs. Brenda Nwagwu, similarly stressed that AI could not be ignored, urging the industry to develop a clear policy framework for its responsible adoption and regulation.
The organisers said NAC 2026 would feature a fireside chat, plenary thought-leadership sessions, breakout sessions and a networking dinner, with the ultimate focus on repositioning the industry for its next frontier.