Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) will be happy to see improved mutual relationship with state governments and their agencies.

Based on this desire, OAAN President, Tunde Adedoyin, counselled at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) in Abeokuta that OAAN members should continue to be on the right side of the law so as to distinguish themselves as professionals.

“The relationship between OAAN, state governments and regulators has continued to improve over the years and we intend to keep it that way,” he stressed.

Adedoyin talked extensively on challenges and benefits in states such as Edo, Lagos, Kaduna, Cross River, Enugu, Anambra as well as Abuja. He disclosed that OAAN is discussing with the states to ensure mutual understanding.

Major stakeholders in outdoor advertising industry deliberated on issues affecting OAAN, its members and how to create a balance between operations and regulations as it affects the profession in Nigeria.

State governments seeking to attract investments invited OAAN members to invest in their states with Cross River leading the scramble.

Director General of Cross River State Signage and Agency (CRISSAA), Stanley Nsemo, gave OAAN members so many incentives that he got a standing ovation after delivering his paper entitled “Sustainable Partnership for Economic Development.”

Some of the incentives include discounted charges on processing fees and sites fees, direct reduced labour cost, income tax of 30 per cent in all sectors, tax holidays of five years in urban areas and seven years in rural areas, investment in infrastructure attracts 20 per cent tax holiday on cost of facilities.

Industries with local value addition enjoy 10 per cent tax concession of up to five years and additional incentives for businesses in the free trade zones.

Director General of Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA), Babs Fagade, who is also a member of OAAN, promised to remove all illegal structures affecting outdoor advertising for value creation.

He also promised to implement the design of Oyo State outdoor master plan and flexible payment plan for 25 per cent permit fee already agreed on vacant sites.

The EGM was part of a three-day CEO’s retreat that hosted a large turnout of outdoor advertising practitioners and regulators from all over the country.