The Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) has unveiled a new management board for the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF) as preparations begin for the 21st edition of the annual creativity festival.
The announcement was made by the re-elected AAAN President, Lanre Adisa, at a press conference in Lagos, where he also unveiled the theme for this year’s festival: “From Glitch to Great.”
The new LAIF Management Board is led by Funke Adekola as President and Jumoke Akinyele as Vice President. Other members are Victor Oyaroro, Tobi Williams, Rotimi Ade-Onajobi, Toheeb Balogun, Anne Obaseki, Dr Meksley Nwagboh, Segun Akinyemiju, Sandra Amachree, Israel Obatunde, Olabisi Olusanya and Jonathan Oyovwevotu.
Adisa described the theme as more than a slogan, saying it reflects the realities of the creative process, where innovation often emerges from setbacks, experimentation and uncertainty.
“Every great idea faces obstacles. Every creative breakthrough is preceded by moments of doubt, disruption, experimentation, and even glitches,” he said.
According to him, what distinguishes great creators is not the absence of challenges but their ability to learn, adapt and continue creating.
“In many ways, it is the natural progression from grit through the inevitable glitches to greatness. That is the story of LAIF, and indeed, the story of creativity itself,” he added.
Adisa said AAAN remains committed to transforming LAIF from West Africa’s leading celebration of creativity into a globally respected benchmark for creative excellence.
He cited international platforms such as Loeries, African Cristal and Pitchers as examples of the level of global recognition LAIF should aspire to achieve.
“That journey from glitch to great, from local acclaim to global relevance, will demand more from all of us: more originality, more craft, more innovation, and more courage to create ideas that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the very best in the world,” he said.
Speaking on the new leadership, Adekola said the board would build on the achievements and lessons of previous administrations while repositioning LAIF to reflect the changing creative economy.
She said the new board intends to move the festival beyond celebrating advertising excellence to becoming a platform for broader business and cultural impact.
“As we step into a brand-new cycle today, we are not here merely to announce an award show. We are here to announce an evolution,” Adekola said.
She added that the new board would seek to honour LAIF’s two decades of progress while creating a platform capable of shaping the future of African creativity.
According to her, the ambition is to position LAIF as “the launchpad for the next operating system for African creativity” by not only celebrating outstanding work but also catalysing innovation and future growth.
The 21st edition of LAIF will run from November 23 to November 28, 2026, featuring a week-long programme of industry activities.
The programme will include C-suite fireside chats and masterclasses focused on technology, artificial intelligence, brand strategy and commercial growth.
The festival will also feature youth-focused initiatives, including hackathons for professionals under 30 and university chapters known as Young LAIFers and UniLAIFers.
Other highlights will include the Nominees Party and the LAIF Awards Gala, where outstanding creative work will be recognised.
Entry dates for the festival are expected to be announced later.
With the new management board now in place, AAAN is positioning the 21st edition of LAIF as more than an awards event, but as a platform for strengthening Nigeria’s creative industry, fostering innovation and expanding the global relevance of African creativity.
