ARCON to Collaborate with Academia, Other Professionals to Strengthen Ad. Industry

Raheem Akingbolu

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), has called for synergy between its stakeholders, particularly the academia and the professionals, to foster a well-structured industry.

The director-general of ARCON, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, made the call at a media briefing on Friday in Lagos.

Fadolapo, emphasized the importance of creating a synergy between academia and practicing professionals to develop the body of knowledge essential for the growth of the advertising industry.

He said, “Any industry that does not bridge the gap between the town and gown will run into crisis. This engagement ensures that both academics and professionals are on the same pedestal, crucial for an industry facing numerous challenges,”

While highlighting the evolving nature of advertising, he noted that technological advancements were causing significant disruptions, hence the need to strike a balance for optimum service delivery.

“Advertising changes constantly. The definition from several years ago is not the same today. The line between advertising and other fields like PR is increasingly blurred, with new tools becoming critical to our profession,” he said.

The Friday’s event, which was organised by the council to announce the second edition of its Advertising Industry Colloquium (AIC), which will hold on June 27, with the theme: ‘Harnessing Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Advertising Education and Industrial Excellence in Nigeria,’ was conceived to ensure that both the academia and professionals were on the same pedestal.

He said the lines of advertising and other courses, including public relations, were getting blurred by the day.

He added that technology was causing a major disruption in advertising, particularly the tools like Artificial Intelligence (AI) being introduced into the profession.

“It is very important to us as an industry that is challenged with so many things to ensure that we bring everybody into the same space.

“Now we have a culture, we have religion, we have our peculiarities, how do we marry these peculiarities with global trends,” he queried.

Mr Fadolapo further said that the colloquium would give the opportunity to formally present the council’s ‘Advertising Industry Journal.’

The journal is a collection of research in different areas of advertising that have been done.

“They have interrogated the body of knowledge, they have come up with the findings, and they’ve come up with their contributions to knowledge.

“Now the book being published, the journal, is going to become an authority and will be cited in research,” Mr Fadolapo said.

Also, chairman of ARCON’s AIC committee, Prof. Rotimi Olatunji, said the programme would yield better outcome than its previous edition.

Mr Olatunji said that the colloquium would include a job fair that would allow participants to learn about opportunities in the Nigerian marketing communications industry.

GEN Nigeria, Bluerock Accelerate Record Success with Entrepreneurs Lounge Event

Raheem Akingbolu

The organisers of the inaugural Entrepreneurs Lounge event held in Lagos recently have described it as a successful venture by all standards, considering the number of startups founders and established entrepreneurs in Nigeria present at the event. The entrepreneurs lounge was powered by GEN Nigeria in collaboration with Bluerock Accelerate.

The inaugural entrepreneurs lounge which also featured Nigeria national finals of Entrepreneurship World Cup was held at Artisan Lounge, Victoria Island Lagos over the weekend.

The evening was a thrilling celebration of entrepreneurship, featuring games, music, networking, and pitching. It provided the perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs to connect with like-minded individuals, share ideas, and gain valuable insights.

The keynote speaker, Founder/CEO of Promoprint Ventures Ltd, Mrs. Patricia Ojora, inspired the guests by sharing her experiences and encouraging them in their entrepreneurial journeys.

GEN Entrepreneurs Lounge is an event that will be held across various cities in Nigeria. Stay tuned for updates on our next Entrepreneurs Lounge event in your city. The Entrepreneur’s Lounge was facilitated in partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre and Bluerock Accelerate, ensuring a high-quality experience for all attendees.

Other finalists in the EWC Nigeria National Finals included: Vet Konect from Makurdi, a digital animal health company leveraging technology to enable access to animal care and social protection for livestock farmers and pet owners across Africa, regardless of their location, through their mobile devices.

EarlyBean from Lagos, a startup that helps kids and teens learn smart money skills through hands-on money management, interactive courses, quizzes, and games, while providing parents/guardians with tools to guide and monitor their children’s financial journey.

Medplan from Benin City, a startup dedicated to improving healthcare delivery for both individuals and healthcare providers by leveraging the power of technology to help healthcare providers deliver better care and improve outcomes.

Mebic Organic from Abeokuta, a startup that provides chemical-free foods and spices for both households and industrial purposes, using an eco-friendly process to ensure maximum nourishment.

Vet Konect, EarlyBean, Medplan, and Mebic Organic advance to the “EWC 250” – the next round of the global competition against applicants from 200 countries. All founders advancing to the next round will participate in a Bootcamp featuring virtual training and mentoring sessions targeted to their company’s current stage and growth trajectory. This is a key step to qualify for the EWC Global Finals.

According to the Managing Director, GEN Nigeria Dr Olawale Anifowose, “The top 100 finalists globally will advance to pitch live for a share of USD 1 million in cash prizes at the EWC Global Finals held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in Fall 2024. Global finalists also gain automatic entry into the GEN Starters Club, an invitation-only community of talented founders from around the world.”