The Advertising Practitioners Association of Kano, APAK, has lamented the numerous challenges confronting the industry, saying urgent measures are needed to address them.
Speaking at a two-day regional summit on advertising and marketing communications held in Kano on Wednesday, the Chairman of APAK, Sammani Shariff, said the industry was grappling with rapid technological disruption and other emerging challenges.
According to him, digital transformation, changing consumer behaviour, increasing regulatory demands, talent shortages, shrinking revenues from traditional media, and the pressure to remain relevant in a highly competitive global market have continued to affect the growth of the industry.
Mr Shariff noted that the situation is more severe in Northern Nigeria, where practitioners face challenges such as inadequate professional inclusion, limited industry infrastructure, underrepresentation, and weak collaboration among stakeholders.
“Today marks more than just a gathering of professionals; it represents a defining moment for our industry, particularly in Northern Nigeria, as we come together to reflect, learn, innovate, and collectively shape the future of advertising and marketing communications in our region and beyond,” he said.
He described advertising as more than a tool for promoting products and services, stressing that it has become a major instrument for economic growth, social transformation, cultural preservation, and national development.
“Advertising is no longer simply about selling products or promoting services. It is now a powerful instrument of economic growth, social transformation, cultural preservation, and national development.
“As practitioners, we carry the enormous responsibility of shaping narratives, influencing behaviour, and building trust between brands, governments, and the people,” he added.
The APAK chairman, however, said stakeholders must confront the realities facing the industry.
“Our industry is facing enormous challenges — rapid technological disruption, digital transformation, changing consumer behaviour, increasing regulatory demands, talent gaps, shrinking traditional media revenues, and the constant pressure to remain relevant in a highly competitive global marketplace,” he said.
“For us in this region, those challenges are even more pronounced. We continue to face issues of inadequate professional inclusion, limited industry infrastructure, underrepresentation, and the need for stronger collaboration among stakeholders.”
Mr Shariff also disclosed that organising the summit came with several difficulties, including logistical constraints, funding challenges, and time limitations.
“Even this summit itself was not without challenges. The journey to this event tested our resolve — logistical constraints, funding pressures, time limitations, and countless unforeseen obstacles,” he said.
To address the challenges, he urged practitioners and stakeholders to prioritise collaboration, innovation, and capacity building.
According to him, no individual practitioner, agency, regulator, or institution can develop the industry alone.
“Our strength lies in unity. Together, we can achieve far more than we can individually,” he said.
Mr Shariff further called on practitioners to embrace technology, data, digital creativity, and emerging platforms as opportunities rather than threats.
He also stressed the need to invest in young professionals through mentorship and training programmes.
“Our greatest investment must be in people, especially young professionals. We must mentor, train, and prepare the next generation to take this industry to greater heights.
“This summit is therefore not just an event; it is a call to action,” he said.
