Sanwo-Olu, APCON, SON, others to discuss ‘Ease of Doing Business’ at ADVAN Industry Dialogue

In a fresh attempt to make the business environment becomes friendlier to operators in Nigeria's business landscape, the Advertisers Association of Nigeria, (ADVAN) is organising a business dialogue to discuss the role of regulators in the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

The event is scheduled to take place on June 22nd, 2022 at Radisson Blue Hotel GRA Ikeja with the theme: 'the role of government regulations in the ease of doing business'.

The keynote paper will be delivered by the Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Ease of Doing Business, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.

 Speaking on this development in a press conference today in Lagos, ADVAN President, Osamede Uwubanmwen told Journalists that the dialogue will be an avenue to bring together stakeholders to discuss the way forward on how to move the industry forward, stressing that, the idea is that you have industry regulators in a room and you have people they regulate in the same room, and they ask themselves questions on burning industry issues.

He added that we are inviting several stakeholders including the Lagos State Governor, Lagos State Commissioner for trade and Industry, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ASAA), Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), NAFDAF, APCON, Heads of Sectoral Groups (HASGs)among others, and the essence is how government will continue to support businesses through regulations.

According to him, "when regulators comes up with policies, they need feedback on how regulations are affecting the industry, and we believe that's what dialogue is all about, it's something we have done over the years and the essence is to ensure we have sanity in where we do business."

He further stressed that, industry dialogue is an annual event organized by ADVAN in which we bring stakeholders together, and why we are considering the ease of the doing business is because, we are of the believe that regulations should help business to succeed, because when business grows, the revenue grows, the economy grows and everybody will be happy.

"Among all the players in the marketing industry, ADVAN sits in a very important position because in ADVAN, you have guys from Telecoms, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, and for us regulation should be an everyday thing, it should be after one or two years before regulators will come up with new regulatory framework." He added.

While responding to the impact of previous industry dialogues on the ease of doing business in Nigeria, ADVAN President disclosed that, after the dialogues, the body always come up with memorandum which they transfer to policy makers and they are independently convinced that, the policy makers are looking in the direction of the ease of doing business.

Also responding to questions on involving people from the grassroots on the dialogue, he pointed out that, the invite for the event is extended to everybody or group running a business in Nigeria whether from the federal, state or local government and as they come, they should air their views on how they have been faring on the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

While giving a vote of thanks at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of ADVAN, Mrs Ediri Ose-Ediale who welcomed every participant at the event, said that the Dialogue seeks to provide a meeting point for critical stakeholders in the Marketing Communications Industry and the various regulatory institutions, to proffer global best practice solutions on effective regulations for economic growth and development.

According to her, advertising cut across several sectors which include; hospitality, pharmaceuticals, engineering, FMCG, telecoms, among others and all of them are critical to how businesses are done in Nigeria.

The media briefing was attended by Osamede Uwubanmwen President of ADVAN, Ediri Ose-Ediale CEO/Executive Director of ADVAN, Kenneth Iruonagbe-Publicity Director, ADVAN, Seni Ogunkola-Executive Council Member of ADVAN and Samuel Akinrinmisi- Member Planning Committee Industry Dialogue.