HASG inaugurates Digital & AI, AfCFTA committees to future-proof Nigeria’s advertising industry
In a decisive move to future-proof Nigeria’s marketing communications ecosystem, the Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups (HASG) formally inaugurated two strategic industry committees-the Digital & Artificial Intelligence (AI) Committee and the AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area) Committee.
The inauguration held on Friday, April 10, 2026, brought together key stakeholders across the industry, including the Director-General of ARCON, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, sectoral group representatives, and committee members.
HASG Chairman, Lanre Adisa, said the decision is in response to the present reality emphasising that the establishment of the committees reflects a deliberate shift from passive adaptation to proactive leadership.
“We are operating at a time of profound shift. Artificial Intelligence is redefining creativity and execution, while AfCFTA is expanding the scale at which African brands can operate. The question before us is simple will we react, or will we lead?”
He noted that the committees are not symbolic, but working bodies tasked with delivering practical frameworks, actionable recommendations, and measurable outcomes.
Focus areas of the committees
Representing MIPAN, Patrick Gomez who chaired the Digital & AI Committee noted that, the committee will explore how Al and digital innovation can be responsibly and effectively be integrated into Nigeria’s advertising ecosystem.
The mandate according to him includes: Developing ethical and operational guidelines for Al adoption; Identifying opportunities across creative, media, and data value chains; Recommending industry-wide standards and policy positions and Building capacity through training and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
The AfCFTA Committee on its part will focus on positioning Nigerian agencies to fully leverage continental trade opportunities.
The committee chaired by Kelechi Nwosu (AAAN), has it’s key responsibilities to include: Identifying export opportunities for Nigerian creative services; Recommending frameworks for cross-border collaboration; Addressing regulatory, infrastructural, and capacity gaps; and developing strategies to protect intellectual property and ensure fair trade practices.
While assuring the committees of regulatory support, ARCON DG, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo noted:
“All findings and recommendations from the committees will be reviewed and presented to the Honourable Minister for approval before being shared with the wider industry.”
He emphasized the importance of collaboration between regulator and practitioners, describing the process as a “shared journey that must deliver a win-win for the entire ecosystem.”
Both committees are expected to deliver their reports by July 2026. Outputs will include: Strategic frameworks and policy, recommendations, Industry guidelines and adoption roadmaps.
These outcomes are expected to shape discussions and decisions ahead of the National Advertising Conference (NAC) 2026, a statement from HASG said.
“The Nigerian advertising industry has never lacked creativity. What this moment demands is coordination, courage, and clarity of direction.”
“The inauguration marks a critical step toward building an industry that is: Future-ready, Africa-facing and globally competitive,” Adisa pointed.
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