O’Tega Ogra Emerges ADVAN President As Dr. Doyin Salami, Crystal Berger Challenge Brands To Win Through Affordability And Trust
The Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) has ushered in a new era of leadership with the election of O’Tega Ogra as President, while industry leaders were challenged to rethink growth strategies and make trust their strongest competitive advantage during the Association’s Executive Leadership Session held immediately after its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
Ogra, who serves as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Communications, Engagement and New Media Strategy and is also a member of the Governing Council of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), succeeds Osamede Uwubanmwen, whose tenure strengthened industry collaboration, advocacy and stakeholder engagement across Nigeria’s marketing communications ecosystem.
Expressing appreciation after his election, Ogra commended his predecessor for laying a solid foundation for the Association.
“I would like to sincerely thank our immediate past President, Osamede Uwubanmwen, for his sacrifice, commitment and outstanding work in advancing the interests of advertisers and strengthening our industry. We are committed to building on the solid foundation that has been laid as we work together to position ADVAN for even greater impact,” he said.
He described his administration as one that would prioritise stronger industry collaboration, innovation, professional development and constructive engagement with regulators to ensure a more enabling environment for advertisers and brand owners.
In a conciliatory message directed at the industry’s regulator, Ogra called for dialogue over confrontation.
“Sometimes you can’t use the same weapons that you used to fight a war to solve the war. Let’s see how we can get the people who consider themselves our enemies back to the table. We are ready to meet as partners in an atmosphere of mutual respect because the industry stands to benefit more from collaboration than conflict,” he stated.
The AGM was followed by the ADVAN Executive Leadership Session, where Dr. Doyin Salami, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of KAINOS EDGE Consulting Ltd., delivered a keynote address on “The New Rules of Growth: Navigating Nigeria’s Evolving Economy and Consumer Landscape.”
Dr. Salami noted that while Nigeria’s macroeconomic outlook is improving, businesses must adapt to a marketplace where affordability has become the defining driver of consumer decisions.
“Volume is replacing price,” he said, explaining that companies can no longer depend on price increases to sustain growth as consumers become increasingly value-conscious. He urged business leaders to embrace affordability, innovation, operational efficiency and deeper consumer understanding, stressing that regulation, agility and strategic capital allocation will increasingly determine competitive advantage.
The second keynote speaker, Crystal I. Berger, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of EBO and Vettify™, challenged organisations to prioritise trust as artificial intelligence continues to reshape business and consumer engagement.
Speaking on “The Future of Brand Trust: Thriving in an AI-Powered World,” Berger warned that the rapid rise of AI-generated content, deepfakes and digital misinformation has made trust one of the most valuable assets any organisation can possess.
“Attention gets you noticed. Trust gets you chosen,” she said, urging brands to move beyond visibility and deliberately invest in credibility, transparency and verification. She noted that organisations capable of building trust infrastructure today would be better positioned to lead tomorrow’s digital economy.
ADVAN members said the presentations reinforced the importance of combining sound economic strategy with responsible innovation as Nigerian brands navigate an increasingly complex marketplace shaped by technology, changing consumer expectations and evolving regulation.
The Association also elected a new Executive Council to support its strategic direction. Gloria Nwabuike emerged as First Vice President, while Maurice Igugu was elected Second Vice President. Seni Ogunkola was elected Treasurer, Adeola Amosun became Publicity Secretary, while Cassandra Uzo-Ogbugh, James Odejimi, Martha Ojei Kayode, Omobolanle Osotule, and Oge Maduakwu were elected as Executive Council Members. Ediri Ose-Ediale continues as Chief Executive Officer of the Association.
With a new leadership team in place and critical conversations on Nigeria’s economic outlook and the future of brand trust setting the tone for the year ahead, ADVAN reaffirmed its commitment to advancing responsible advertising, strengthening collaboration across the marketing communications ecosystem, and equipping advertisers with the knowledge and leadership required to thrive in an increasingly digital and AI-driven economy.
