ARCON Unveils 2026 Industry Colloquium to Address Future of Advertising
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has announced the 2026 edition of its Industry Colloquium, bringing together regulators, industry leaders, academics and technology experts to examine the future of advertising amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence, digital platforms and evolving consumer behaviour.
The annual stakeholder engagement forum, designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry while fostering dialogue on emerging issues in advertising and marketing communications, will be held on August 6, 2026.
With the theme, "The Future of Advertising: Roles of Platforms, People and Regulations," this year's colloquium will convene policymakers, advertisers, advertising agencies, media organisations, digital platforms, technology companies, legal experts, academics, brand custodians, content creators and other stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and regulatory challenges shaping the industry's future.
According to ARCON, the advertising landscape is undergoing significant transformation as technological innovation, artificial intelligence and changing consumer preferences redefine how advertising content is created, distributed and consumed.
The Council noted that while these developments offer opportunities for innovation and economic growth, they also raise important issues relating to ethics, consumer protection, transparency, accountability and regulatory oversight.
The colloquium will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions and interactive sessions led by industry experts and public sector leaders.
Among the confirmed speakers are Olu Akanmu, Academic Director of Lagos Business School's Tech-Leap Initiative; Dozie Mbanefo, Managing Director of New Crystal Communication Limited; Professor Adepoju Tejumaiye of the University of Lagos Department of Advertising and Public Relations; Dotun Babatunde, Head of Digital Marketing at Olam Agri; and Omowunmi Owodunni, former Chairman of the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP), among other industry professionals.
A major highlight of the event will be the Students' Advertising Pitch Competition, where finalists from six tertiary institutions representing Nigeria's six geopolitical zones will compete in the grand finale after emerging from a pre-event selection process.
The participating institutions are the University of Ilorin, Kwara State University, Kaduna State University, Ebonyi State University, Rivers State University and Lagos State University.
ARCON said the competition is aimed at nurturing young advertising professionals by providing students with a platform to showcase their creativity, strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities before industry stakeholders.
As the statutory regulator of advertising practice in Nigeria, the Council said it remains committed to promoting professionalism, creativity, fairness, consumer protection and global best practices across the advertising ecosystem.
The regulator called on stakeholders across the advertising value chain to participate in the colloquium and contribute to building an innovative, ethical, inclusive and future-ready advertising industry.
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