Lagos State Signage & Advertisement Agency (LASA), the first structured outdoor regulatory agency in Nigeria is spearheading the formation of an association to protect the interest of outdoor advertising regulatory agencies in Nigeria.
According to LASAA, the proposed association would help promote sustainable economic growth in a vibrant outdoor advertising sector across the country. The new association may be known as Outdoor Advertising Regulatory Association of Nigeria (OARAN).
Managing Director of LASAA, Mr George Noah while speaking on the proposed association, noted several challenges facing outdoor advertising in the country which raises the need for protective measure. ‘‘Outdoor Advertising regulatory bodies in Nigeria are faced with several and similar challenges including the decline of out of home advertising spend due to competition from internet, radio and T.V. It is important to have a platform that allows for idea sharing, protection of industry interest and a general collaboration for sustainability in the emerging world,” he said.
The LASAA boss listed other challenges as varied standards, rates, human resource capacity and outdoor sites in military and police formations. LASAA was established in 2006 to regulate and Control the display of signs and outdoor advertisement in Lagos State. Following its successful operation, it has become a model for other States.
Some of its key initiatives include the signage and outdoor advertising master plan to improve the visual communication environment in the State. It is expected that this collaborative effort of pioneering the first outdoor advertising regulatory association in Nigeria will bring about the much anticipated change and growth within the outdoor advertising landscape across the country. Some of the Agencies expected at the meeting include Ogun State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OGSAA) and EKSAA for Ekiti State, KWASAA for Kwara State.
