NIMN goes tough on non-professionals

• To enforce membership compliance from January 2018

The National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) has announced that any marketing practitioner not certified by the institute would not secure a marketing employment in any corporate organisation as from January 1, 2018. This was made known recently when the newly-elected executive members of Advertisers’ Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) paid a courtesy visit to the institute’s President, Mr. Tony Agenmonmen, who stated that plans had been perfected to ensure that being a member of the NIMN would constitute a major requirement before a marketing practitioner is given a job in any organisation in the country from next year.

He, however, added that the institute still intends to drive compliance through discussion and allow people to voluntarily comply rather than wielding the big stick.

The NIMN boss described the courtesy call on the ADVAN team as an opportunity for the two groups of marketing professionals to share ideas, get to know each other, as well as promote excellence in the marketing profession. “ADVAN is the collective for most of the big marketing organisations and NIMN is the umbrella body of all marketing professionals in Nigeria. So, to a large extent, ADVAN is a sub-sect of NIMN. All ADVAN members, by definition, are members of NIMN.

“The fact that we are starting the full compliance by January 2018 was also discussed with them. Like I said, most of the big marketing organisations are members of ADVAN. They need to encourage their members, who are currently not members of NIMN to come.

“I need to stress here that as from January next year, it is mandatory for every organisation that is hiring a marketing person to demand for membership of the institute,” he stressed. “You can have your BSc or PhD in Marketing, but if any organisation wants to employ you as from January 2018, you must produce evidence that you are indeed a professional marketer, that is a member of NIMN.”

In her remarks, president of ADVAN, Folake Ani-Mumuney, assured the institute of her association’s support, adding that the new exco would do everything within its power to ensure that marketing practice enjoys a pride of place in the country.