Government’s ads spend not benefitting practitioners —Udeme Ufot

Unlike in other climes where governments remain the biggest spender in marketing communication, spends from government, coming into the space, in Nigeria, are not going through the right channels that could benefit practitioners.

The Group Managing Director, S.O&U, Udeme Ufot made this observation at the Brand Handlers Summit and Awards, held over the weekend, in Lagos.

He noted that money being spent by government, on marketing communications in Nigeria, is not exactly being spent through the channel that can make practitioners benefit, and enhance the fortunes of the ecosystem.

While commending Marketing Space, organisers of the summit, for providing the opportunity to celebrate achievements, the S.O&U boss believed the platform also served as a platform  for deep reflection on the present state of the industry, and a call to action, regarding how to advance it.

He described the summit’s theme: “Advancing Nigeria’s Marketing Ecosystem to Drive Brand Growth,” as timely and urgent, since it made it imperative for practitioners to think beyond individual campaigns or corporate victories, but, instead, consider the broader environment in which marketing operates in  Nigeria.

He described the nation’s  marketing ecosystem as not an abstraction; but a living network, made up of  brands and marketers who create products and services; the agencies who give them voice, character, and creativity; the media that carry those messages to the masses; the technology platforms that allow us to connect with precision and insight; the regulators who safeguard standards and ethics; the academia and researchers who train the next generation and generate knowledge; and, most importantly, the consumers, whose choices and behaviours ultimately determine what succeeds and what fails.

He argued that while the industry remains alive, dynamic and  evolving, the state of the nation’s marketing ecosystem remains a paradox.

“On one hand, it is vibrant. We see creativity that wins global recognition, a young population brimming with ideas, and technology that opens new doors every day.

“On the other hand, it is fragmented. There are disconnects between players, gaps in capacity, lapses in ethics, and struggles with trust and accountability. Too often, we operate in silos rather than in harmony, forgetting that the strength of an ecosystem lies not in the brilliance of its parts, but in how well those parts work together,” he added.

Udeme expressed regrets that despite the exploits of the nation’s agencies, shrinking budgets, late payments, and, sometimes, lack of respect for their expertise have weakened their ability to thrive.

He therefore called for stronger collaboration among agencies to enable the space harness its  immense potential.

In his welcome address, the Convener of the event, Lukman Ishau described the theme of the summit as reflecting the dynamic shifts reshaping the marketing communication industry.

“At no point in history have we faced such rapid transformation driven by technology, data, and, most prominently, Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“As custodians of brand growth, we recognise the urgent need not only to adapt, but to lead these changes. This summit is therefore our contribution to advancing conversations and strategies that will strengthen Nigeria’s marketing ecosystem,” he added.

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