It was a thrilling event at the Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN) held the second edition of its annual conference and awards amidst gist and glamour at the prestigious Oriental hotel, Victoria Island Lagos.

The just concluded annual Brands & Marketing Conference 2023 was with theme: Public-Private Partnership: Infrastructural Development Strategy for Government/Communities/Brands” had in attendance the professionals from the MARCOM industry, business leaders, pressmen and friends of BJAN

Giving her opening remark during the conference, Madam Clara Chinwe Okoro, Chairman BJAN noted that the annual conference has become the hallmark of insightful discourse and collaborative exploration within the marketing industry.

She added that the theme for this year’s conference was chosen as a means to call to action and address pressing challenges facing the country.

Her words: “We embark on a mission to delve into a theme of paramount importance: “Private Public Partnership: Infrastructural Development Strategy for Government/Communities/Brands.” have chosen is not merely a set of words; it is a call to action, a summons to address the pressing challenges facing our beloved Nigeria. We stand at a crucial juncture where infrastructural development plays a pivotal role in steering our nation towards sustained growth and progress. The interplay between public and private sectors, as encapsulated in the concept of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), holds the key to unlocking unprecedented opportunities.

“As we explore this theme, guided by the overarching belief that collaboration is the catalyst for transformation, we aim to foster discussions that transcend rhetoric and lead us to actionable insights. Our goal is to provide clarity, especially for the new governments at various levels across Nigeria and the brands that operate within our borders.”

“We recognize the enormous infrastructure deficit that challenges our nation’s development and economic growth. The National Policy on Public Private Partnership reminds us that the private sector can be a formidable force in bridging this gap. This conference serves as a platform to brainstorm on the imperatives of developing vibrant infrastructural models for State Governments, Communities, and Brands alike, utilizing innovative techniques in value chain development”, she said.

Speaking on how the PPP agreement are made, the keynote speaker, Dr. Olajumoke Akiode, Convener, Women in Infrastructure Community Africa’s (WICA) said: “Under the structure of the PPP transaction, we have stakeholder engagement, we have the assessment and management of environmental and social risk and in the signing of the PPP contract, there is a lot of agreement that every member, every stakeholder in the PPP must agree to. There is a performance-based agreement as well. Then we have the market and tender for the PPP. When the groundwork has been done, they now go to the markets, sourcing for investors. So they need to packet the PPP contracts.

The panel session had Sola Salako-Ajulo, Honourable Member,(South-West) Consumer Protection Tribunal,  as moderator, Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs Manager at Nestlé Nigeria, Dr. Olajumoke Akiode, Convener, Women in Infrastructure Community Africa’s (WICA), Adeola Kayode, Head of brands & Creative Services, 9Mobile, and Godfrey Adejumoh, Head, Corporate Communications & Sustainable Business, Unilever Nigeria spoke on the theme of the conference.

The panelists in their submission noted that, though the government prepares PPPs, implemented by the private partners and the investors, the beneficiaries who would be impacted by such projects should also be carried along. They reckoned that such an approach would improve the development outcomes from PPPs when community inputs are resourced and mobilised, adding that it will discourage resentment to development.

The event came to an end with the presentation of Awards to outstanding individuals, agencies and brands who have distinguished themselves with operational excellence in the year.

Some of the awardees include Chris Wulff-Caesar, FrieslandCampina’s Marketing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, who emerged the marketing Director of the Year; New Crystal Communications as OOH Company of the Year; Digisplash won Best Young Digital Agency of the Year, Terra Seasoning won Seasoning Brand of the Year Trophy as Alcoholic Beverage of the year, Indomie Noodles, Brand of the Year, Ogilvy Nigeria, Creative agency of the Year, BOVAS Most Customer-Friendly company, New Crystal Communications, OOH Company of the Year among others.