The Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, has said artificial intelligence (AI) will transform the country’s advertising industry but cannot completely replace human creativity or the role of creative agencies.
Fadolapo made the remarks at the 2026 Annual Brands and Marketing Conference organised by the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN) in Lagos, where industry stakeholders examined the future of advertising under the theme, “Advertising in Nigeria and AI: Who Needs Creative Agencies Anyways?”
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He described AI as another stage in the advertising industry’s evolution, arguing that its emergence should encourage agencies to adapt their operations rather than view the technology as a threat to their survival.
“AI is not a challenge alone. It is how we are able to manage it,” he said, urging advertising professionals to embrace technological innovation while protecting the human qualities that make campaigns meaningful and relatable.
The ARCON chief acknowledged that AI tools could generate campaign concepts, images, voices and other creative materials within seconds.
However, he maintained that human insight, originality and creativity would continue to distinguish professional advertising from machine-generated content.
He also raised concerns about the ethical and regulatory implications of AI-generated images and voices, particularly when individuals’ identities are manipulated for commercial purposes without their knowledge or consent.
Fadolapo questioned who should be held accountable when someone’s image or voice is used in an advertisement without permission, especially where the content could falsely suggest that the individual endorses a product, service or campaign.
“You can’t put AI on a free move,” he said, calling for a stronger regulatory framework to ensure that the technology is deployed responsibly and with adequate safeguards.
He stressed that innovation must be accompanied by clear rules to protect individuals, maintain public trust and prevent the misuse of digital content across advertising platforms.
Reflecting on the industry’s changing business structure, Fadolapo noted that advertising functions once concentrated within traditional agencies had gradually developed into specialised areas, including media, public relations, brand activation and other communication services.
He said AI would accelerate this shift, requiring agencies to reconsider how they create value for brands and consumers.
Rather than relying solely on the production of advertising materials, he urged practitioners to explore how technology could improve efficiency, support data-driven decisions and strengthen campaign effectiveness.
Earlier, the ARCON director-general commended BJAN for creating a platform for dialogue and collaboration among journalists, advertising professionals, brands and other stakeholders.
He also urged brand journalists to uphold accuracy, professionalism, credibility and responsible communication as advertising, journalism, public relations and technology become increasingly interconnected.
Fadolapo expressed optimism that responsible AI adoption could strengthen Nigeria’s creative economy, improve the competitiveness of local practitioners, support employment and contribute to economic growth.
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The conference brought together advertising practitioners, brand journalists, government representatives, media professionals and other industry stakeholders to examine the opportunities and challenges AI presents for Nigeria’s advertising and brand communication ecosystem.
