Ufot calls for collaboration, ethical practice to advancing Nigeria’s marketing ecosystem
The Group Managing Director of SO&U, Udeme Ufot, has advocated for stronger collaboration, ethical practice, and bold innovation to advance Nigeria’s marketing ecosystem and unlocking brand growth.
He made the call at the inaugural edition of The Brand Handlers Summit and Awards, held under the theme “Advancing Nigeria’s Marketing Ecosystem to Drive Brand Growth.”
Ufot underscored the paradox of Nigeria’s marketing industry, which he described as vibrant and filled with globally recognised creativity, yet still fragmented and inconsistent. He noted that while Nigeria boasts a young, dynamic population, expanding digital opportunities, and agencies that have delivered award-winning campaigns, the ecosystem continues to face gaps in trust, weak collaboration, and underinvestment in capacity building.
“The Nigerian marketing ecosystem is alive, dynamic, and evolving before our eyes. Yet, if we are honest, its state today is a paradox – vibrant but fragmented, creative but inconsistent, promising but underperforming,” he stated.
According to him, the strength of the marketing ecosystem will not depend on the brilliance of its individual players, but on how effectively brands, agencies, media, regulators, academia, and consumers work together. He urged brands to see agencies as true partners in value creation, regulators to collaborate as co-architects of growth, and media to reposition as trusted allies in shaping impactful campaigns.
Ufot also highlighted the urgent need for investment in talent development to equip professionals for an industry rapidly shaped by digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and changing consumer expectations. “If talent is the currency of modern marketing, then Nigeria must mint it in abundance,” he said, stressing the importance of universities, institutes, and industry leaders working together to ensure professionals are not just job-ready but future-ready.
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