Stakeholders rally behind ARCON special awards to promote compliance, professionalism

Advertising industry stakeholders and leaders of major sectoral associations have endorsed the ARCON Special Recognition Awards (ASRA), saying the initiative could promote compliance and professionalism by rewarding practitioners who uphold industry standards.

The stakeholders made their views known on Monday at a media briefing in Ikeja, Lagos, where they argued that effective regulation should not be limited to sanctions and fines, but should also include recognition and commendation of deserving practitioners.

ASRA is a new recognition platform established by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to honour individuals, brands and organisations that have demonstrated excellence and made significant contributions to the advertising ecosystem.

President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and Chairman of the Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups (HASG), Lanre Adisa, said recognition was an important tool for creating visibility for the industry and motivating practitioners to perform better.

“One of the things we try to create is visibility for the industry and to achieve that, one way is to expand the scope and recognise the people who are at the forefront of doing the industry proud. By so doing, others are motivated,” Adisa said.

He stressed that the motivational impact of recognising outstanding practitioners should not be underestimated, urging ARCON to sustain the initiative beyond the maiden edition.

President of the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN), Brenda Nwagwu, also endorsed the programme, saying recognition encourages excellence, which remains one of the association’s core values.

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Nwagwu said MIPAN remained committed to collaborating with ARCON to advance the industry through the 2026 ASRA initiative.

Similarly, President of the Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN), Tolulope Medebem, commended ARCON for recognising practitioners who continue to raise professional standards.

She noted that the advertising industry was constantly evolving due to technological developments and changing consumer behaviour, making it important to acknowledge individuals and organisations contributing positively to its growth.

Chairman of the ASRA Planning Committee, Yinka Adebayo, said the awards were designed to establish a new benchmark for the industry while correcting the perception that ARCON’s regulatory activities were focused mainly on imposing fines on erring practitioners.

He said the Council was equally interested in recognising players whose work contributes to the development of the advertising ecosystem.

The maiden edition of ASRA is scheduled for Friday, October 23, 2026, at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Ikeja, Lagos, under the theme “An Evening of Many Honours.”

The awards will feature four broad frameworks: Advertising Compliance Awards, Public Sector Recognition Awards, Private Sector Recognition Awards and Individual Recognition Awards, with winners emerging from various sub-categories.

According to the organisers, nominations opened on September 1 and will run for 13 days. Nominees will subsequently submit evidence supporting their eligibility before online voting begins on September 20.

Members of the public and industry stakeholders can nominate deserving practitioners and organisations through the ASRA awards website before the deadline.

ARCON Director-General, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, said the initiative would also provide an opportunity for practitioners to understand the history of Nigeria’s advertising industry and learn about individuals whose contributions helped shape its development.

He said celebrating such contributions would help inspire the next generation of practitioners while strengthening professionalism across the industry.