NAC 2026: ARCON, stakeholders set agenda for Nigeria’s marketing communications future

Nigeria’s marketing communications industry is set for a major policy and industry conversation as regulators, advertisers, media practitioners and other stakeholders converge in Abuja for the sixth National Advertising Conference (NAC 2026).

Organised by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), the three-day conference will hold from November 11 to 13, 2026, at the Abuja Continental Hotel under the theme, “Repositioning the Marketing Communication Industry for the Next Frontier.”

With artificial intelligence (AI), digital platforms and changing consumer behaviour rapidly reshaping the industry, NAC 2026 is expected to focus on regulatory reforms, innovation, competitiveness and practical strategies for the sector’s next phase.

A major highlight will be the presentation of proposals for a new regulatory framework covering digital advertising and artificial intelligence.

Chairman of the NAC 2026 Planning Committee, Tunji Adeyinka, said at a media briefing that a cross-functional committee had worked with ARCON and other stakeholders for several months to examine regulatory challenges created by emerging technologies.

He said the objective was to develop a practical framework that would regulate emerging technologies without stifling innovation.

The conference will also consider the impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on marketing communications, with a dedicated committee expected to present its findings and proposed action plan.

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The discussions are expected to examine opportunities for Nigerian agencies and creative businesses to export their expertise across Africa while addressing the challenges of competing in an increasingly integrated continental market.

Industry leaders are also expected to push for stronger collaboration among advertising, media, experiential marketing and other sectors as technological convergence continues to blur traditional industry boundaries.

Another major focus will be the DeepMove Meter, the new television advertising audience measurement system. Stakeholders will examine early data from the system and its implications for media planning, advertising investment, audience measurement and accountability.

Data protection will equally feature prominently, particularly as advertisers increasingly depend on consumer information for targeting, personalisation and campaign measurement.

The conference is also expected to address concerns over government-imposed rates for outdoor political advertising, with stakeholders examining the implications of high charges ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Beyond regulation and technology, NAC 2026 will examine Nigeria’s economic outlook and its implications for marketing communications. The programme will feature a fireside chat with Access Holdings Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, alongside sessions involving chief marketing officers and other industry experts.

Other discussions will cover broadcast digitisation, the informal market, the creative economy, gender, industry fundamentals, cultural representation and language use in advertising.

ARCON Director-General, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, represented at the briefing by the Council’s Head of Regulations, Emme Akande, said the conference was projected to attract at least 700 participants, up from about 500 at the previous edition.

The scale and breadth of NAC 2026 reflect the growing pressures on Nigeria’s marketing communications industry, particularly from AI, digitalisation, fragmented media consumption, data privacy and economic uncertainty.

More importantly, the conference could provide an opportunity for ARCON and industry stakeholders to move beyond identifying challenges to developing actionable frameworks.