Nigeria's Outdoor Regulatory Agencies Form Own Industry Association

Several structured outdoor regulatory agencies in Nigeria have agreed to collaborate with other stakeholders in the outdoor sector in addition to forming their own registered group to be known as  Outdoor Advertising Regulatory Association of Nigeria (OARAN).

At a weekend meeting held at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Lekki, Lagos,  top executives of the regulatory agencies from Lagos, Bauchi, Ogun, Edo, Oyo, Cross River and Kwara states pledged to create an enabling environment to help the outdoor sector to thrive. The inaugural two hour parley was steered by the Managing Director of Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) Mr. George Noah.

Welcoming top executives and their representatives of the various state signage and regulatory agencies, Noah stated that “the epoch event seeks collaborative ways in solving our similar problems and challenges and finding solutions together as appropriate”.

During the meeting representatives of the regulatory agencies also  pledged their support to LASAA for the much anticipated African Outdoor Advertising Conference and Exhibition scheduled for June 25-27, 2014 at Eko Hotel Conference Centre, Lagos.

At the end of the meeting a communiqué was issued as follows :

''Outdoor advertising regulatory bodies in Nigeria are faced with several and similar challenges, including non compliance with policies, varied standards, rates, human resource capacity and decline of outdoor advertising budget due to competition from social media, radio and T.V. That recognizing our role as major stakeholders in the outdoor sector in Nigeria, outdoor regulators here assembled, do agree to associate with their counterparts in other parts of the country to proffer solutions to common challenges for the purpose of undertaking their statutory tasks in the best possible manner, including working with other stakeholders in the industry for the common good of the sector they regulate. That outdoor regulators gathered today do agree to form an association to be known as Outdoor Advertising Regulatory Association of Nigeria (OARAN), in furtherance of objectives stated above''.

In attendance were Mr George Noah,  Managing Director, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA); Chief Godwin Iyala, Director General Cross River State Signage and Advertisement Agency (CRISSAA);  Alhaji  Hamisu Babaji, Managing Director, Bauchi State Signage and Advertisement Management Agency (BASSAMA); Mr. Yinka Adepoju, Director General, Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency,(OYSAA).

Others include: Mr. Adewale Olatunji, Head of Operations, Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KWASAA;  Mr. Akin Bandele, General Manager, Ogun State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OGSAA); and Mrs. Osato Uwaifo of Edo State Government Committee on the Regulation & Management of Outdoor Advertising.