The President, Outdoor Advertisement Association of Nigeria (OAAN), Dr. Shola Akinsiku, who hinted in the keynote he presented at a one-day yearly stakeholders engagement forum organised by the Abia State Structure for Signages and Advertisement Agency (ABSAA) held at the Aba Town Hall, noted that out-of-home media practice has operated for nearly a century without structured oversight in Nigeria.
The theme of the meeting was ‘The Future of Outdoor Advertisement: Challenges and Prospects’.
While commending the state governor, Dr Alex Otti, for appointing Lady Victoria Onwubuiko, who he described as a seasoned technocrat, as Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ABSAA, the OAAN President enjoined signage and advertisement practitioners across the state and nation to uphold professionalism in their practice.
The state ABSAA CEO, Lady Onwubiko, who said in her address that the yearly forum provide stakeholders opportunity to interrogate government plans, address challenges, and forge new partnerships.
She expressed appreciation to Governor Otti and the stakeholders for their support in the significant transformation being witnessed in the state since the establishment of ABSAA and called for more investment and partnerships in the outdoor advertising in Abia State.
The state deputy governor, Chief Ikechukwu Emetu, who declared the forum open through the Chief Of Staff to Governor Otti, Pastor Dr Caleb Ajagba, described the theme as timely and apt.
He reiterated the state government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for all legitimate businesses to thrive effectively in the state.
He said that the goal of advertising whether indoor or outdoor is to create awareness about goods and services and stimulate patronage or demand.
“There are also robust plans for the promotion of tourism in the state because when tourism is booming, visitors will be attracted to Abia and this supports advertising especially outdoor advertising.”
