The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and key stakeholders in the advertising industry have called for stronger collaboration among regulators, practitioners, technology companies, media organisations, academia and consumers to drive innovation and ensure the sustainable growth of Nigeria’s advertising industry. The call was made at the fourth edition of the Advertising Industry Colloquium (AIC 4.0), held recently with the theme, “The Future of Advertising: Role of Platforms, People and Regulation.” Speaking at the event, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, represented by the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Ndace, described the theme as timely, noting that rapid technological developments were fundamentally changing how brands communicate and how consumers interact with information. Idris said technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital platforms, big data and immersive technologies were redefining brand communication, consumer behaviour and the way societies receive information. He said advertising had evolved beyond selling products to influencing culture, shaping public perception, driving economic activity, promoting national identity and supporting democratic participation. “For Nigeria, this development presents enormous opportunities as well as significant responsibilities,” he said. According to him, the future of advertising would be shaped by three critical pillars: platforms, people and regulation. He noted that while digital platforms had democratised communication, they had also created concerns around misinformation, harmful content, privacy, data protection and market fairness. “Government believes that digital innovation must be accompanied by responsible governance that protects consumers while encouraging enterprise,” he said. On human capital, the minister said technology should complement rather than replace human creativity, ethics and professional judgment. “Technology will never replace human creativity, ethics and strategic thinking. Artificial Intelligence may generate content, but authentic storytelling, cultural understanding, emotional intelligence and professional judgment remain uniquely human,” he said. He described Nigeria’s youthful population as a major asset in the global creative economy, stressing the need for investment in education, digital literacy, innovation and creative entrepreneurship. The minister also described effective regulation as critical to sustainable industry development, arguing that a predictable and transparent regulatory framework would protect consumers, promote fair competition and build investor confidence. “Effective regulation is not an obstacle to growth; it is the foundation for sustainable development,” he stated. The Director-General of ARCON, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, said the colloquium had continued to provide a platform for thought leaders, regulators, practitioners, academics and emerging professionals to exchange ideas on the future of advertising and marketing communications. Fadolapo said the rapid transformation of the industry had created both opportunities and responsibilities for stakeholders. “As technology reshapes communication and digital platforms continue to influence consumer engagement, the need for responsible innovation, professional excellence and effective regulation has never been more critical,” he said. He stressed that no single stakeholder could determine the future of the advertising industry. “The future of advertising cannot be shaped by one stakeholder alone. It requires collaboration that inspires innovation, stakeholders who drive creativity and ethical practice, and a regulatory framework that promotes trust, protects consumers and supports sustainable industry growth,” he stated. The keynote speaker, Mr Olu Akanmu, Director of the Tech-leap Initiative at Lagos Business School, represented by Professor Rotimi Olatunji, identified AI, personalised advertising and the growing creator economy as major trends that would shape the sector. Akanmu said regulators must move beyond ensuring compliance with existing advertising codes and anticipate technological developments that could outpace legislation. “For regulators, the challenge is no longer merely ensuring compliance with advertising codes; it is anticipating technological change that often outpaces legislation,” he said. He said advertising practitioners would increasingly need to combine creativity, technology, ethics and data analytics, while academia must develop new theories and curricula that reflect developments in AI, behavioural economics, platform capitalism and digital governance. The Chairman of the AIC and Journal Committee, Prof Olatunji, said the theme of the fourth edition built on discussions from previous editions, which examined changing trends in advertising education and practice, emerging technologies
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