Stakeholders Converge in Lagos for ARCON’s Third Advertising Industry Colloquium 2025
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) is set to host the third edition of its flagship event, the Advertising Industry Colloquium (AIC), a premier gathering that brings together industry leaders, academics, and students to foster dialogue and innovation in marketing communication. The event is scheduled for July 8, 2025, starting at 8:00 AM at the Sheba Center in Ikeja, Lagos.
This year’s AIC promises to be a vibrant platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and exploring emerging trends shaping the advertising sector. Under the theme: “From Dialogue to Data: Merging Storytelling, Human Engagement & Tech in Marketing Communication,” key industry experts, academics, and practitioners will share insights, experiences, and strategies to advance the industry.
Prominent speakers include Olufemi Odugbemi, Founder and CEO of Zuri24 Media, who will deliver the keynote address. Other distinguished participants include Idy Enang, immediate past President of NIMN; Nani Milagrosa Utomi Biyang, Founder and Chief Experience Curator at MPXM; Steve Babaeko, Group CEO of X3M Ideas; Stephen Onaivi, MD of Mediareach OMD; and Professor Kolade Ajilore. These voices from diverse sectors of the industry will engage in panel discussions, mentoring sessions, and networking activities aimed at fostering collaboration and professional growth.
A unique highlight of the event is a creative advertising pitch competition featuring seven tertiary institutions: the University of Ilorin, Covenant University, Rivers State University, Kaduna Polytechnic, Federal University Kashere, Ebonyi State University, and Pan-Atlantic University. This competition, an evolution of earlier pre-event pitches, offers students from across Nigeria the chance to demonstrate their creativity and strategic thinking.
Professor Rotimi Olatunji, Chairman of the AIC, emphasized the importance of this gathering as an opportunity for marketing communication students from Nigeria’s six geo-political zones to showcase their talents and gain industry recognition. He highlighted that the event will also feature awards and prizes for outstanding academic institutions and students.
Organized by the ARCON’s Advertising Industry Colloquium and Academic Journal Committee, headed by Professor Rotimi Olatunji and established by ARCON’s Director-General, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, the event aims to strengthen collaboration between academia and industry. Past editions in 2023 and 2024 successfully fostered dialogue, culminating in the launch of the ARCON Journal of Advertising and Marketing Communication in 2024.