NAC 2026: ARCON targets over 700 participants, sets to reposition the industry for the next frontier
By Amechi Obiakpu
Over 700 participants from the advertising, media and associated sectors are expected to grace this year’s National Advertising Conference (NAC), with the theme, “Repositioning the marketing communications industry for the next frontier”.
The number, a rise from last year’s figure which had about 500 attendees, underscores the importance of the conference in shaping the conversations in the marketing communications sector in particular and the economy at large.
This year’s conference will hold at the Abuja Continental Hotel, from November 11 to 13, 2026.
Speaking in a press conference held on Tuesday, in Lagos, to herald the event, Chairman, Planning Committee of NAC 2026, Tunji Adeyinka said, this year’s theme aims at tackling some of the challenges standing in the way of making critical progress, and this will be seen through the thought leadership that have been prepared.
“Over the years, especially in recent years, we have continued to examine this next frontier on different industry platforms. This frontier has been looking at the impact of technology. A very favorite topic is impact of artificial intelligence, changing consumer behavior, data management, culture, talent attraction, changing business models, and of course, regulation. These are some of the issues which are changing very fast and continue to change,” Adeyinka stated.
According to Adeyinka, the conference is a platform for having important industry conversations, updating industry norms and debating critical issues, and of course, for meeting and networking across industry lines.
One of the highlights of the 3-day conference is the fireside chat, where industry experts are featured to give perspectives to some of the issues arising from the industry. And this year Adeyinka pointed that the speaker is the Chairman Access Holdings PLC, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, a Nigerian businessman, banker, investor and philanthropist.
He explained that Aig-Imoukhuede’s choice for the fireside chat is perfect because he has been in the forefront of industry disruption, especially in banking and the financial institutions in Nigeria. “And he has been able to manage, of course, with his teams different industry headwinds and take advantage of tail weight as well”.
“It will be very important to learn from someone like that who is able to look at things as an outsider, but critically as someone who is operating in the same business environment as we all are,” he added.
He also listed, Gomez Patrick Gomez, CEO of FMEIL, Ugochukwu “Ugodre” Obi-Chukwu, CEO, Narametrics, Olu Akanmu, Chioma Mbalugo, the CMO at PZ Wilma and Maprit Singh, the Group CMO of Tolerant Group, among other speakers scheduled to speak at various sessions in the conference.
ARCON DG, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, represented by Emme Akande, Director at ARCON, said there was the need for repositioning in all “our sectors hence the theme of the conference”.
The ARCON boss however charged the media to assist in spreading the message of the conference to stimulate more participation.
The press conference also had in attendance other top industry players and heads of sectoral groups.
President of Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and Chairman, HASG, Lanre Adisa said advertising is all about looking for the next frontier even as he pointed that the NAC is where we do that for ourselves.
For Medebem, Chief Executive, Aster Integrated Marketing and President, Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN), averred that the industry future will not be shaped by one sector but by all of us.
“NAC is an important commitment to examining where we are as an industry and where we want it to be,” she said.
*Photo shows: L-R: Lanre Ashaolu, Chief Executive Officer, FPL Media; Lanre Adisa, Chairman HASG & President, AAAN; Mrs. Emme Akande, Representative of DG, ARCON, Director Regulation, (ARCON); Tunji Adeyinka, Chairman, Organising Committee, National Advertising Conference, (NAC); Adeola Amosun, Group Head, Media, Toleram; Tolulope Medebem, President, EXMAN; Yinka Adebayo, Chairman, Planning Committee, ARCON Special Recognition Awards (ASRA); Brenda Nwagwu, President, MIPAN; and Dr. Sola Akinsiku, President, OAAN during the media briefing to announce the forthcoming National Advertising Conference 2026 held in Lagos.
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