President-elect Muhammadu Buhari should review the national communication architecture to re-ignite the Nigerian brand project, according to Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) President, Kelechi Nwosu.
He congratulated Buhari for winning the ballot and commended President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat, which doused tension and boosted confidence in the future of democracy in Nigeria.
With the election now over, he said, it would be ideal for the incoming government to engage the support of certified professionals to project the immense potentials of the Nigerian brand.
Nwosu urged Buhari to re-configure the national communication apparatus to provide impetus for a robust economy, promote national re-orientation, inspire innovation, entrepreneurship, and create choice.
He asked Buhari to pursue local content, affirmation policy, and allow experienced professionals run government communication to avoid the lack of public support of certain policies of the Jonathan administration.
“The AAAN would wish to propose nation building initiatives to the incoming government such as National Re-orientation Project.
“Nigeria needs a re-orientation project that will build civic pride, promote ethical values and get Nigerians believing in Nigeria and her assets.
“A corollary to this is to ensure that Nigerians begin to appreciate and support made in Nigeria products and brands,” Nwosu stressed.
He suggested that the incoming government should create a plan to inspire innovation, enable industry, reward productivity to make Nigeria a progressive and competitive economy.
“This will provide the opportunity to grow many dynamic and respected Nigerian brands. Advertising is a critical tool in this regard because we help create choices that fuel the economy and even the polity.”
“We will also strongly recommend a local content and affirmative policy that allows Nigerian professionals to do better business in Nigeria.
“We should moderate our consumerism which drives importation and stop fueling other economies.”
Nwosu implored Buhari to deploy professional communication and better standards at all levels and departments of government and in dealing with external partners.
He reiterated that advertising laws and regulations which allow only organisations licensed by the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) to practise advertising in the country.
“We would strongly urge government to uphold the APCON laws and regulations in this regard.
“We at AAAN wish you and your team well and will continue to provide our support as branding experts and communication specialists in ways that will expand and deepen the peace and prosperity of … Nigeria.”