The Nigerian Marketing Research Association (NiMRA) is seeking the strategic adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) across Nigeria’s research and business sectors as a catalyst for deeper insights, innovation and sustainable growth.
This call was made at the opening of its inaugural International Conference held in Lagos, which spotlighted the transformative power of AI and other emerging technologies shaping the future of research, marketing and data-driven decision-making.
Themed ‘Beyond the Horizons: AI and the New Frontiers’, the session of the four-day event focused on client engagement and the growing role of AI in redefining customer insight, improving business agility and advancing data-driven strategies in a fast-changing market.
Held in Lagos, the conference attracted industry leaders, marketing professionals, data scientists and corporate clients, many of whom echoed the urgent need for digital transformation, predictive analytics and innovation in a post-pandemic economic landscape.
NiMRA President, Adeoye Seyi, described the event as a significant reset for the association, which he admitted had operated at a “low vibe” for too long but is now repositioning itself as a force for collaboration and relevance in the digital age.
“AI is already shaping how we work, but the real magic will happen when we begin to merge native human intelligence with machine intelligence. We are not just talking about AI, we are building for what comes after AI,” he said.
Seyi noted that the conference will include a client-focused summit, a social and political summit as well as a main plenary session, which aims at repositioning the research industry around standards, talent development and collective impact.
Also speaking, NiMRA Vice President, Ajibike Seun-Ajayi, stressed the need for the research industry to be more client-driven and future-facing.
“We must listen to the heartbeat of our clients, know their pain points, and deliver value through smarter research tools,” she said. Seun-Ajayi noted the association’s interest in attracting Gen Z and preparing the next generation of market researchers through the integration of AI and automation.
CEO of Carthena Advisory, Wole Ogundare, challenged Nigerian businesses to reimagine their operations, using data-backed strategies to stay competitive amid economic uncertainty.
He outlined seven fundamentals for navigating today’s business environment, including reinventing business models, optimising cost structures, upgrading talent pipelines and redefining stakeholder relationships.
Ogundare warned that challenges such as foreign exchange volatility and infrastructure deficit in energy and logistics are significantly squeezing profit margins.
Founder of Data Science Nigeria, Olubayo Adekanmbi, delivered a presentation on the transformative impact of AI on data collection, analytics and actionable insights. He argued that research must evolve beyond theory to deliver measurable business value.
