By Esther Sangodele
Kwara State University (KWASU) has emerged as the winner of the Students’ Advertising Pitch Competition organised by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), beating four other universities to clinch the top prize.
The grand finale of the competition was held as part of the fourth edition of the Advertising Industry Colloquium (AIC 4.0), organised by ARCON in Lagos.
KWASU emerged top after presentations by five participating universities, while the University of Ilorin came second, Rivers State University third, Kaduna State University fourth and Lagos State University fifth.
The winning team received N1 million, while the second- and third-place winners were awarded N750,000 and N500,000 respectively.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged stakeholders in the advertising and marketing communications industry to develop ethical frameworks for artificial intelligence (AI) to protect originality, reward creators and promote responsible innovation.
Idris made the call while declaring open AIC 4.0, themed, “The Future of Advertising: The Role of Platforms, People and Regulation.”
He said the rapid growth of AI was reshaping the creative economy, making it imperative for the industry to establish clear ethical standards that would encourage innovation while protecting intellectual property and the rights of creators.
The minister reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to positioning Nigeria as Africa’s leading hub for responsible advertising, creative excellence and digital innovation.
He said the government would continue to support policies that promote innovation while strengthening ethical regulation and protecting intellectual property.
According to him, the future of Nigeria’s advertising industry would be determined not only by technological advancement but also by the quality of ideas, strong institutions and responsible leadership.
“The future of advertising will not be determined by technology alone. It will be shaped by the quality of our ideas, the integrity of our institutions and the courage of our leaders,” he said.
