Outdoor ad: Industry captains cry out over planned concession, billboards demolition

THESE are, definitely, not the best of times to practise out of home advertising in Nigeria.  The sector is fast becoming the most bedevilled, of all the sectors in the nation’s integrated marketing communications industry.

Recently, Kaduna State, through the Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Agency, (KASUPDA),  made good its plans to demolish all billboards in Kaduna metropolis. This, it explained, was one of the various steps aimed at reforming the sector, and replacing the existing billboards with LED platforms in the areas.

But stakeholders, especially outdoor practitioners, the direct victims of such action, believe there is much to that move than meet the naked eye.

For instance, while speaking at a press briefing, organised by Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups (HASGs), in Lagos on the onslaughts of Lagos and Kaduna States against outdoor advertising,  the President of the umbrella body, the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), Chief Emma Ajufo, stated that while the  association is never averse to reforms,   there is however the need to carry it along at the formulation stages of  such reforms.

According to him, the association was never carried along, before KASUPDA, embarked on mass demolition and destruction of members’ billboards.

“Even when we were supposed to have a meeting with the DG of the agency, the meeting did not last for more two minutes. We were told the DG was not around after we had travelled all the way from Lagos to Kaduna. Unfortunately,  the DG never delegated anybody to stand in for him,” the OAAN’s boss stated.

Perhaps more curious to the OAAN boss is the fact that members, whose billboards are being destroyed in the state, are not being given the option of recovering them.

“The demolished billboards are simply sold off as scraps, which translates to a total loss for those members,” he lamented.

Ajufo believes the state government is not being sincere with its reform agenda, regarding the outdoor ad space. The demolitions are being carried out to enable the cronies of those in government , be in charge of those spaces, he argues.

“We have since found out that the whole essence is to allow some favoured business owners, close to the corridors of power in Kaduna, to install their LED platforms in those areas,” he stated.

Besides Kaduna, the OAAN’s boss also stated that members’ headache in Lagos, is still far from abating, especially with the planned  concession of seven major  roads, Awolowo Road, Ikeja; Oshodi-Apapa Road,  Lagos-Badagry, Ikorodu Road, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Road,  Western Avenue and LASU –Isheri Roads, by the state government.

Also, LASAA’s refusal to work within the framework of the laws that established it, remains another challenge outdoor practitioners  have continued to grapple with, Ajufo stated.

Interestingly,  the OAAN’s boss is not alone in these renewed efforts at making these two states governments see reason. Other members of the Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups (HASGs), are  concerned, too.

While calling  for a rethink on those anti-business policies, the president of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Steve Babaeko, noted that concession would only give birth monopoly.

“Remember SMEs are the heartbeats of any economy, if concession, and its attendant monopoly are allowed, it would go a long way in negating the federal government’s quests for SMEs’ participation in the nation’s economy,” he argued.

The President of the Advertisers’ Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), Mr. Osamede Uwubanmwen, believes recent developments in Lagos, and Kaduna, might force advertisers to look elsewhere to expose their communications.

“Unfortunately, this will turn out as an ill-wind which blows nobody any good. For instance, if advertisers begin to look beyond those outdoor platforms, what it means is that the industry will lose revenue, while government will also lose, since you can only collect revenue from a business that is functional,” he stated.

President, Experiential Marketers’ Association of Nigeria, (EXMAN), Mr.  Tunji Adeyinka, described the developments as unfortunate, adding this might impact on the over 3,000 workforce in the nation’s outdoor ad sector.

“In a situation where unemployment rate is high, concession will simply shut some businesses out, and further throw many people from that sector to the labour market. I think the two state governments should simply heed the pleas of practitioners, and do away with these unfavourable policies,” he added.

But will the group issue a boycott instruction to all advertisers, against the states toeing Lagos and.Kaduna paths, as it is presently threatening?

Perhaps, the respective states’ responses to the group’s pleas will determine whether it will embark on this next line of action.