As Nigeria’s advertising and creative industry continues to respond to economic pressure, regulatory shifts and rapid technological change, conversations are increasingly shifting toward substance rather than scale.

Questions around originality, future readiness, data dependence and creative courage now sit at the centre of industry discourse. These themes framed last week’s Industry Conversation on MARKETING EDGE ONTV and return this week with even greater urgency.

A Career Built on Craft and Strategic Depth

Extending that dialogue is Uduakabasi Akpan, widely known as Uddy, whose career reflects a rare balance of deep craft and strategic thinking.

He began his journey as a visualiser and illustrator, learning early how to translate ideas into images before converting insight into strategy. Over time, this foundation evolved into a broader creative leadership approach that prioritises meaning, clarity and cultural relevance above noise.

From agency floors in Nigeria to professional engagements in South Africa, his work has travelled across markets and categories, maintaining a consistent signature shaped by disciplined thinking and visual restraint.

Leadership Across Agencies and Brands

Uddy’s professional journey has passed through some of the industry’s most respected agencies, including X3M Ideas and Yellow Brick Road, before he assumed leadership roles as Creative Director at Anakle and now at Flow Universal Solutions.

Across these chapters, he has worked on brands spanning telecommunications, finance, technology, FMCG and lifestyle.

His portfolio includes campaigns and brand narratives for MTN, Etisalat, 9Mobile, Spotify, NBA Nigeria, Peak Milk, Martell, FirstBank, Access Bank and the Development Bank of Nigeria, among others. Across sectors, his work reflects a consistent commitment to storytelling that aligns commercial objectives with cultural insight.

Stewardship Beyond Campaign Execution

Beyond creative delivery, his influence extends into industry stewardship. As a three time judge at The Loeries, one of Africa and the Middle East’s most respected creativity and effectiveness award platforms, Uddy has played a role in interrogating the work that defines regional creative standards. His repeated selection reflects peer trust in his ability to distinguish enduring ideas from passing trends.

Across other industry juries, he has continued to advocate for originality, intentional thinking and culturally grounded work, reinforcing standards that prioritise depth over replication.

Continuing the Conversation on the Industry’s Future

This week on MARKETING EDGE ONTV, Uddy returns on the Industry Conversation segment, continuing the discussion he began last week with Bababunmi Agbebi.

The focus now shifts toward the near future, examining which sectors may drive advertising spend recovery, how agencies can apply AI and automation without eroding brand voice, and what safeguards the industry needs to avoid a slide into creative sameness.

Viewers can expect perspectives shaped not by theory alone, but by lived experience across agencies, markets and brand categories.

Rather than offering easy conclusions, the conversation interrogates tensions between data and intuition, speed and originality, efficiency and authorship, while questioning whether the industry is building for long term relevance or reacting to immediate pressure.

A Pot Pourri of Insight and Industry Intelligence

MARKETING EDGE ONTV airs every Wednesday as a thirty minute programme on TVC News, DSTV Channel 418, at 12.30 pm, and on wapTV, DSTV Channel 262. On wapTV, the episode comes up on Wednesday from 11.00 am to 11.30 am, with a repeat broadcast on Thursday from 9.30 am to 10.00 am.

The programme remains a pot pourri of Brand News, Brand in Focus and Industry Conversation, offering viewers a layered view of market movements, brand thinking and the ideas shaping Nigeria’s marketing communications landscape.