The recently held “Leaders in Marketing” conference, organised by the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), provided the opportunity for blunt, no-holds-barred and industry-shaking talks on the fate of today’s women marketing practitioners, and what must be done by the feminine gender in the practice, desirous of elevation to quicken their pace into the boardroom.
The conference, attended by those that matter in the marketing space, saw participants reaching a consensus that the time is now for women in the practice to begin to look for a space in the top echelon of their profession, to have any chance of shaping the future.
Interestingly, one of the inhibiting factors, towards achieving that feat, identified by almost all the resource persons at the conference is the pervasive feeling of lethargy among women practitioners, which participants believed, have continued to deny them deserved seats in the boardroom.
For the president of NIMN, Dr Bolajoko Bayo-Ajayi, the conference, designed to coincide with the annual women’s month, March, was intended to bring to the fore reasons women must take up the task of calling the shots in marketing and even beyond the practice.
She, therefore, charged women practitioners not to relent, adding that despite the exploits of some female practitioners in the profession, there is still much ground for women to cover in their bid at being in the boardroom.
“The vision is to provide a thriving community of women that have the skills, the competence and opportunities to lead and to influence and beyond marketing,” she stated.
She explained that the theme of the conference: “ Redefining Influence: Women Shaping The Future of Marketing”, is meant to mentor and position women to enable them have the much-needed influence to shape the future of the practice.
Commending the marketing institute for coming up with the conference, branding and marketing expert, Iquo Ukoh, called on women marketers to learn to upscale and upskill to be able to shape the future of marketing.
“The question we should ask ourselves as women is:what have we really done to change the face of marketing?
“I used to work for a seasoning brand, and then, it was all about the woman in the kitchen, taking care of the children, with the husband coming home to sit in the parlour. But we changed that and we started seeing the guy and the lady in the kitchen.
“It didn’t happen overnight. It’s because the voices of women were raised. It’s not about cooking with a seasoning brand, it’s because some of us have used our voices to shape that narrative,” she stated.
While charging women practitioners on the need to make themselves heard, Ukoh also expressed the belief that until women begin to do that, they might not be in a position to tap into the huge leadership opportunities within the marketing space.
In her remarks, the President, Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN) Tolu Medebem, called for collaboration among women to enable them form a formidable force, capable of shaping the future of the profession.
“We can’t do it alone. Let’s hold those hands that had done it in the past and take a walk together,” she added.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Bada Ambrose, commended the institute for creating a platform, dedicated to advancing leadership, visibility, mentorship, and professional growth among women in marketing across Nigeria.
“By establishing a space where female professionals can connect, learn, and inspire one another, the Institute is making a strategic investment in the future of the marketing profession in Nigeria,” she added.
The commissioner described the theme of the conference as speaking directly to the realities of the evolving global economy.
She argued that influence in today’s world is no longer measured solely by titles or hierarchical authority, but, increasingly, being definedby ideas, innovation, authenticity, and the ability to shape markets, culture, and economic outcomes.
She described the economic contribution of women in Nigeria as profound; since women own approximately 40 percent of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the country, collectively accounting for more than 96 percent of all companies and roughly 86 percent of employment across the country.
She noted that despite the figures, exhibiting a compelling story of women, not merely contributing to economic growth, but sustaining the very ecosystem in which commerce thrives, their representation at the highest levels of corporate leadership has not always reflected the scale of their contribution.
“For many years, women within the marketing and communications industry played critical strategic roles while visibility in top leadership positions remained limited,” the commissioner said.
the However, we are now witnessing a remarkable shift.
“Across Nigeria’s marketing, technology, and communications sectors, women are increasingly occupying influential positions as Chief Marketing Officers, brand strategists, agency leaders, and digital transformation champions,” the commissioner added.
She believed women in marketing are particularly well positioned to lead the transformation being witnessed in the space; since many of today’s most effective marketing strategies are built on empathy, cultural insight, and community engagement.
She added that initiatives, such as “LeadHers in Marketing” have become important since they create ecosystems where women can support one another, share knowledge, and cultivate the confidence required to lead at the highest levels of the profession.