The Out-of-Home Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing gender equality and the inclusion of women in the sector. Through a series of programs and initiatives, OAAN aims to foster the development of women, preparing them for leadership roles and business management within the Out-of-Home advertising industry.
In a recent conversation with The Brand Colossus, Sola Akinsiku, the President of OAAN, outlined plans to build on the achievements of the past administration, placing deliberate emphasis on enhancing women’s participation. Akinsiku stressed the importance of giving women in Out-of-Home advertising a platform, promoting their voices, and encouraging their active involvement in both industry and business growth.
“We inherited it and we are promoting it and that is giving the women in Out-of-Home advertising a voice, promoting them and encouraging them to play a role in growing not only the industry but the out of home business. So, It is a national association and it encourages all ladies that are in the industry regardless of where they are practicing. The only condition is that the company that they represent must be members of the association”.
The association, operating at a national level, extends its encouragement to all women in the industry, irrespective of their practice’s location, with the sole condition that their affiliated companies are members of the association. Akinsiku emphasized the need for increased professionalism by advocating for registered practitioners and cultivating mutually beneficial relationships with the government through ongoing engagements.
“We are working to ensure that it is only men and women of integrity, skillful, professionals that are in the subsector. We want to engage government the more. I found out that most people who are regulating the industry don’t know anything about the industry. We need to be more on tables, regardless of the shape of the table. We must constantly engage so that government that is expecting so much from our industry not only on compliance to regulations but also in terms of revenue generation. must listen to us.
A key focus is to ensure that individuals in leadership positions are characterized by integrity, skills, and professionalism. Akinsiku expressed the necessity of engaging with the government more proactively, addressing the gap in understanding within regulatory bodies and highlighting the industry’s contributions not only in compliance with regulations but also in terms of revenue generation.
To further elevate the sector’s professionalism, OAAN plans to invest significantly in training, knowledge acquisition, and capacity building for its members and clients. The association aims to garner respect for out-of-home advertising’s contributions to the national economy and create a conducive business environment amid challenges faced by big businesses in the industry.
Adeola Odesanya, the National Coordinator of Women in Out-of-Home Advertising in Nigeria (WOHAN), emphasized WOHAN’s role in creating gender balance within a predominantly male-dominated sector. WOHAN, initiated by the Out of Home Association of Nigeria, seeks to bridge gender gaps by investing in women’s development, enhancing their leadership and managerial skills. Odesanya underscored the unique perspectives women bring to the table, contributing to holistic decision-making in policy formulation.
“WOAAN is the brain child of out of home association of Nigeria and its aims to bridge a gap. We discovered that male and female are different and one isn’t complete without the other even in the broad room. There are certain things that a woman can easily connect with that the men cannot see even standing on the tree. This because of our biological make up and endowment. The Out-of-Home association is looking for wholesomeness. They are looking for completeness, what a woman can bring to the table in trying to make the girl child and by extension woman to have a voice at the table so that when policies are being churned out, it will be holistic. It is in giving back to the society in the way that the two gender can do.
“Women are emotional and that sometime obstruct their growth trajectory. What we are doing now is training our women, especially in leadership and their general wellbeing.
Affirming the current administration’s stance, Odudare Atilola, a member of the Board of Trustees, highlighted the sector’s significant progress and expressed the commitment to build on past successes for sustained growth.
“We are building a very solid foundation The last administration has done extremely well and it is going to be a continuum with the present administration. It is going to continue all the good things he has started and there is so many of them. Nigeria out of home advertising has consistently moved from stage to stage and in the West Africa sub-region, we are ranked as number one”.
The administration, elected unopposed during the 38th Annual General Meeting in Asaba, envisions a continuum of positive initiatives and a solid foundation for the future of out-of-home advertising in Nigeria.
