By Clifford Amuzuo
Veteran advertising practitioner and Former Managing Director/Chief Executive , TBWA Concept Unit, Kelechi Nwosu has taken critical examination of Nigeria’s Unfolding political campaigns environment ahead the 2027 elections, predicting that advertising spend across marketing Communications would significantly reflect increased growth margins by end of fourth Quarter 2026.
Adspend across the sector as at end of 2025 stood at between N605.2 to N800 billion. Nwosu however opines that the figures would gain significant rise judging by heightening political campaign activities which is expected to unfold across the country beginning September.
The Former Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) President also noted further that though the political campaign activities most likely could yield higher Adspend, whether the advertising expenditures would be channeled through the organized advertising sector is highly contentious owing to incoherent nature in political behaviors by average Nigerian politicians.
According to him, other factors adding up could also further push the ad spend considering that a number of companies would normally engage in Marketing and Experiential promotional activities just behind second quarter of the year.
“I don’t have the numbers for Q 1, but the projections suggest they will be higher, and theoretically because of politics, if that spend will come to the organized advertising sector, I do not know, I cannot really answer for that”
“Politicians have a way of spending their money. They can go directly , they can even hire people from anywhere in the world. .They can just do whatever they want, but in theory because of politics, it will likely go higher because we are actually in the political season, elections are next year and I think February next year, I think campaigns will probably open by September this year”
“Typically the spend for most companies would normally go higher at the second half to last quarter because of the Christmas and New Year seasons. Usually it’s all about promotions, meetings and meetings and so on and so a lot of things can make that spend go up at the end of the year”.
Speaking further on opportunity areas and responsibilities for Nigerian advertising agencies in the wake of 2027 political electioneering season , the former agency boss identified that creative agency practitioners should typically be at the forefront of suggesting communications and strategic ideas for campaigns but he rather regretted that politicians lack the required character and behavioral consistency .
“Typically we should be at the forefront, suggesting Communication ideas, strategic ideas, that’s the opportunity, but like I said it doesn’t often work that way because the ways of Politicians are not pure and that the truyh. They work in very very myriad ways that some of us find it difficult to understand. They don’t often do the right things, even sometimes they go do pitches with people from outside the country, but it’s not all of them. I have been fortunate to work with a couple of them and so let’s not generalize, but we need better standing with the political class. We need them to say, I want to work with this advertising agency or Marketing Communications group to further my course, however maybe they don’t even believe that their campaign messages would have effect on voting patterns or something like that, maybe”.
In addition, he expressed views on several challenging industry issues including the debts and payment problems, the controversial issues surrounding pitches and the pitching processes and general relationship problems existing between clients and advertising agencies.
“There is a couple of Solutions and one is that agencies must just have to brace up, and follow the terms of the contract, sometimes we are worse enemies, sometimes we are afraid and there is a reason to this”
“So I see all the need to be very careful about pitches. I have done very silly pitches in my life, very many unwarranted pitches. I am particularly against pitches, if you want pitches ask questions about the agency, pick them up , find out where they are coming from, and wha t they have done”
He commended the internal regulatory mechanisms so far exhibited by AAAN in addressing the in challenges while calling for compliance of agencies and other stakeholders for effective regulations in the industry.
“The Association has done its best. it’s done commendably well across different areas, it doesn’t mean there is no room for improvement but I think they’ve done well.”.
