The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) have renewed calls for deeper gender inclusion and stronger career pathways for women in Africa’s marketing communications sector.
The appeal was made in Lagos at the 2025 Women in Marketing and Communications Conference and Awards (WIMCA), which remains the largest gathering of women professionals in marketing and communications across the continent.
With the theme, “Bloom, Boom, Zoom: The Pursuit of Excellence,” industry leaders at the event challenged organisations to create systems that allow women to grow, lead, and assume strategic positions within the marketing value chain.
NIMN President, Bolajoko Bayo-Ajayi, described WIMCA as a platform that has evolved into a movement.
“I have never seen such an impressive number of women in marketing and communications gathered in one place. WIMCA continues to ignite ambition, confidence, and passion while pushing women towards enviable heights in management, communications, and marketing.”
AAAN President and Chairman, Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups (HASG), Lanre Adisa, said the event has become a critical rallying point for female professionals.
“It is rich, impactful, and a must-attend for every woman seeking growth in the industry,” he said, adding that the networking and collaboration opportunities were invaluable.
Director-General of ARCON, Olalekan Fadolapo, said WIMCA’s influence would continue to shape the future of the marketing ecosystem.
“I commend the organisers for a well-structured event. I remain open to support initiatives that push its goals further,” he stated.
Delivering the keynote address, Chief Executive Officer of Entod Marketing, Iquo Ukoh, urged professionals to deliberately cultivate excellence.
“Excellence is a mindset and an identity — it is the difference between being good and being truly great,” she said.
Convener of WIMCA, Joshua Ajayi, said this year’s theme was designed to reflect three stages of professional evolution.
“To bloom is to grow; to boom is to thrive and make impact; and to zoom is to soar into new levels of leadership,” he explained.
The conference also featured the unveiling of the list of the 50 Most Influential Women in Marketing and Communications — a major highlight of the event.
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