The President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and Chairman of the Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups (HASG), Mr. Lanre Adisa, has called on industry practitioners to remain “crazy” in their pursuit of excellence, warning that “the world isn’t waiting for us” as Africa positions itself to lead the global creative economy.
Adisa made the call at the inaugural Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF) Creative Conference, ahead of the 20th landmark Awards ceremony to hold the next day, at the Lagos Marriott Hotel in Ikeja.
Adisa who also delivered the keynote address hinged on “The Future of African Creativity,” which served as both the conference’s official opening and its thematic anchor, reflected on LAIF’s 20-year journey from what many considered “too ambitious, too bold, maybe even too crazy” to become West Africa’s most prestigious creative showcase.
Declaring that Nigerian advertising must claim its rightful place alongside the country’s already globally influential music, film, fashion, and tech sectors, he noted, “For 20 years, LAIF has been more than an award show. It has been a statement of intent—a commitment to raising the standards of Nigerian creativity, to pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and to proving that our ideas deserve a place on the global stage,” Adisa said.
He emphasized that staying true to the LAIF dream requires concrete commitments from all stakeholders, a renewed commitment to craft, deeper investment in talent, a hunger for ideas that move culture and not just markets, and the courage to remain crazy enough to take risks, challenge conventions, and keep innovating.
“We must continue to raise the standards because the world isn’t waiting for us. The global creative economy is expanding, and Africa has a real chance to lead, not follow. Nigerian creativity is already influencing music, film, fashion, tech, and culture. Advertising must claim its place in that movement.”
The day-long conference marked an important evolution for LAIF, which for two decades had focused primarily on the awards ceremony. The 2025 edition’s expansion to include a full-day conference reflected the festival’s commitment to not just celebrating past achievements but actively shaping the industry’s future through knowledge-sharing, dialogue, and collaboration.
Following Mr. Jay Chukwuemeka, Chairman of the LAIF Management Board’s address, the conference featured five robust panel sessions interspersed with screenings of iconic Nigerian advertisements spanning two decades and had such panels sessions as “The Anatomy of Genius – Unpacking Award-Winning Work”, “Innovation and the Future of Creative Tech – The Future of AI in Communications”, “The Power of Collaboration Across Disciplines”, “Authenticity in African Storytelling – Merging TV, Film, Culture & Brand Advertising” and “Women Redefining the Future of Creativity”.
The conference brought together over 25 distinguished speakers and panelists representing the breadth and depth of Nigeria’s creative ecosystem. Speakers included Julette Oyemade, Eunice Adeyemi, Damilola Adesanya, Raphael Biu, Ekene Atemuno, Osa Segun, Segun Ogunleye, TJ Nuseika, Steve Babaeko (X3M Ideas), Tolulope Ajayi, Chioh Nwoko, Damilola Obasanya, Tolulope Oresegun, Bukola Adenibuyan, Obinna Okechukwu, Oje Ojigba, Susan Youngs, Seun Adamoloja, Femi Kayode, Funmi Victor Okigbo, Dr. Abisola Salami, Folayemi Agboola-Oyebanji, Azeedat Olapade, Chiamaka Leyimu, and Kate Daniels.
Throughout the conference, the “20 Years of Crazy” theme served as both celebration and manifesto. The phrase captured LAIF’s history of championing bold ideas, challenging conventions, and raising standards…often in the face of skepticism. But it also represented a forward-looking commitment to maintaining that audacious spirit.
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