OAAN Complements World PR Day Celebration with Industrial Lecture at FCMS

By Mighty Oluwayemi, Testimony Olalekan

The Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), on July 16, 2025, World PR Day, held an industrial lecture themed “Connect with Out-of-Home Media Profession 2.0” at the newly established Faculty of Communication and Media Studies (FCMS), University of Lagos.

The event merged theory with practice, offering students a unique opportunity to engage with top professionals in Nigeria’s Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising industry. It was designed to bridge academic knowledge with industry practice.

Present at the event were key members of OAAN, including its President, Mr. Sola Adesina; the Publicity Secretary, Mr. Babs Fagbade; and Mr. Valentine Elaigwu. The Dean of FCMS, Professor Sunday Oloruntola, also graced the occasion.

The lecture commenced with an address by Mr. Adesina, a fellow of the advertising profession and publisher, who introduced OAAN and highlighted its role in Nigeria’s media landscape. He announced internship opportunities for interested students, encouraging them to obtain introduction letters from their Head of Department (HOD) for placements with OAAN member agencies.

In recognition of the department’s upgrade to a full-fledged faculty, OAAN donated 20 copies each of a recent publication edited by Professor Abigail Ogwezzy, a faculty member, along with 20 copies each of two other magazines. The association also pledged to sponsor the installation of a faculty signage to commemorate its transformation.

The highlight of the event was a series of three speaker sessions offering insights into the current state and future of OOH advertising in Nigeria.

First was Mr. Omo Kingsley Abunene (FRPA), Vice President of OAAN, who spoke on the foundations and relevance of OOH advertising.
Next, Mr. Babs Fagbade explored the evolution and diversity of OOH advertising formats.
Finally, Mr. Valentine Elaigwu delivered a presentation titled “The Future is Outside: How AI is Reinventing OOH Advertising,” examining how Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the industry through real-time targeting, dynamic content, audience analytics, and programmatic ad buying.

The lecture not only linked classroom learning with professional realities but also reinforced the position of FCMS as a significant player in Nigeria’s dynamic media industry.