The Executive Secretary/CEO of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, has commended the Council over its maiden edition of Special Recognition Awards, describing it as a positive step towards encouraging professionalism and responsible communication in the industry.
He gave this commendation while fielding questions from journalists at the end of the award ceremony, which held at the Balmoral Hall, Sheraton Hotel, Lagos on Friday, October 23, 2026 with the theme “An Evening of Many Honours”.
Ajiboye, a Fellow of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) with over 30 years experience in advertising, said the institution of the awards by ARCON is a remarkable development as it sets good precedence in the industry.
Congratulating recipients of the various awards, he enjoined them to continue to uphold the ethics of the advertising practice in order to make the industry buoyant and competitive.
Speaking earlier, the Director-General of ARCON, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo emphasized that the Council’s functions are not restricted to regulation and sanctions alone but also about celebrating excellence and encouraging compliance with global best practices.
While appealing to other practitioners who were not shortlisted for the award at this maiden edition, Dr. Fadolapo said the ceremony would be a continuous exercise to celebrate professional excellence by marketing and advertising experts.
The landmark ceremony tagged “2026 ASRA Awards was instituted to celebrate eminent personalities for their compliance and outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s advertising and marketing communications industry.
Awards were presented in four major categories: Licensees, Posthumous, Industry Lifetime Contribution and Lifetime Achievement Awards.
The event attracted stakeholders including industry leaders, captains of industry, leading brands and other sectoral groups like the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN); Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN); Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN); and Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) among others.