Expert Calls For Unified Policies For Outdoor Advertising

An expert Theodore Ekechi has advocated for the urgent unification of Nigeria’s regulatory frameworks governing outdoor advertising. He warned that overlapping and conflicting requirements could jeopardise investment, fair competition and professional standards in the sector.

In a keynote address at the 41st Annual General Meeting of the Out-of-Home Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Ekechi, who spoke on the theme “Out-of-Home Advertising Association of Nigeria in Political Campaign Season: Policies, Politics and Fair Practice,” noted that outdoor advertising practitioners operate within a complicated regulatory landscape involving multiple authorities, permits, fees, and enforcement requirements.

He urged the regulators to clearly define their roles to eliminate duplication, conflicting directives, and unnecessary financial burdens on practitioners.

The issue becomes particularly pressing during political campaign seasons, when the heightened demand for advertising spaces exposes operators to numerous regulatory requirements in a short span.

Ekechi also warned against selective enforcement, emphasising that regulations governing political advertising must be transparent and applied uniformly to all political parties and candidates.

“If one candidate is denied access due to a regulatory restriction, that same restriction must apply to others in similar situations,” he stated.

He encouraged OAAN to engage with government and regulatory bodies to develop a coordinated framework that clearly outlines requirements for permits, fees, approvals, enforcement, advertising rights, and compliance responsibilities.

Ekechi asserted that predictable regulation would foster investment in the sector and allow outdoor advertising companies to plan effectively for sustainable, long-term growth.

Additionally, he called on OAAN to bolster self-regulation and ensure that practitioners uphold professional standards while continuing to advocate for reforms within the regulatory framework.

A unified regulatory framework, he insisted, would benefit not only outdoor advertising practitioners but also the government, political parties, advertisers, and the wider Nigerian economy.