The Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria has scheduled a major industry conference for November 6, 2026, bringing together advertising executives, brand managers, and marketing professionals to confront one of the most disruptive questions facing the creative sector: can artificial intelligence replace the traditional creative agency?
The conference, themed “Advertising in Nigeria & AI: Who Needs Creative Agency?”, will hold at the Luxury Event Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, and is expected to draw practitioners, regulators, journalists, and stakeholders from across the marketing communications value chain.
The gathering comes as generative AI tools increasingly demonstrate the ability to produce text, images, videos, campaign concepts, and data-driven consumer insights at speeds and costs that traditional agencies struggle to match. The development has triggered anxiety across Nigeria’s advertising industry, where creative agencies have long served as the bridge between brands and consumers.
Brandspur Brand News gathered that the conference will feature Lolu Akinwunmi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Prima Garnet Africa, as keynote speaker. Akinwunmi, widely respected across Nigeria’s advertising and marketing communications landscape, is expected to examine how practitioners and businesses can respond to AI-driven opportunities while preserving the creativity, strategic thinking, and human connection that have defined the industry.
Bethel Obioma, Head of Communication at Sahara Group, will deliver a paper as Guest Speaker, offering additional perspectives on navigating a rapidly changing advertising environment.
A panel discussion will follow the keynote presentation, featuring Dr Seyi Akindeinde, Chief Executive Officer of Hyperspace; George Onukwo, Chief Executive Officer of TBWA/Concept; and Sandra Amachree, Head of Marketing Communications at Nigerian Breweries. Tolulope Medebem, President of the Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria and CEO of Aster Integrated Marketing Limited, will moderate the session.
BJAN Chairman Daniel Obi said the event is designed to help stakeholders understand the transformation taking place within the advertising and marketing communications industry. He emphasised that the conference would not merely focus on technology itself but would examine how professionals and organisations could strategically adapt to the changes AI brings.
“As technology continues to influence the way brands communicate with consumers, industry stakeholders need to understand the implications of AI for the future of advertising in Nigeria,” Obi said.
The conference positions BJAN as a platform for informed conversations about developments shaping Nigeria’s brand and marketing communications industry. For an advertising sector already grappling with shrinking budgets, client demands for measurable results, and the fragmentation of media channels, the AI question adds another layer of uncertainty.
Creative agencies in Nigeria have historically thrived on their ability to understand local cultural nuances, craft emotionally resonant campaigns, and build relationships with clients. Whether AI can replicate that depth of cultural insight remains an open question, but the technology’s rapid advancement has made it impossible to ignore.
The November gathering will likely influence how Nigerian brands allocate their marketing budgets in the coming years. If AI tools gain credibility for content generation and campaign optimisation, agencies may need to reinvent their value proposition or risk marginalisation. The conference provides an early opportunity for the industry to shape that conversation rather than react to it.
