ADVAN equips future-ready marketers with data-driven skills at 2025 Fundamentals of Marketing series
By Felicia Nwosu
In a bold move to prepare Nigeria’s marketing professionals for a data-first future, the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) held its virtual April 2025 edition of the Fundamentals of Marketing series, themed “The Future of Data Analytics.”
The high-impact training, which took place on April 17, brought together ADVAN member organizations for an immersive knowledge-building experience centered on marketing data, automation, and smart decision-making.
This initiative reaffirms ADVAN’s steadfast commitment to professional growth and industry innovation through its long-standing knowledge-driven programmes.
Since its inception, the Fundamentals of Marketing series has served as a breeding ground for future-ready marketers, consistently attracting top-tier facilitators and fostering a culture of continuous learning.
Year after year, industry stakeholders continue to plug into the platform, drawn by its relevance, timeliness, and the strategic edge it delivers.
Leading the April session was renowned marketing analyst and data strategist, Aniekan Equere, who delivered what one can described as an “eclectic surgery” on the subject of data.
Equere, known for his deep-seated expertise in marketing intelligence and data systems, took participants on a comprehensive journey into the world of analytics, breaking down the concepts with precision, relatable use cases, and contagious passion.
His presentation opened with a captivating teaser on what data analytics truly is and its rising influence across marketing ecosystems. He explained how data analytics helps businesses interpret customer behavior, forecast trends, and optimize campaigns.
He emphasized that data has moved from being a supporting role to the core of modern-day marketing strategies.
Equere introduced tools such as Python, R, SQL, Power BI, and Tableau, explaining how they power everything from customer segmentation to predictive modeling.
He noted that without these tools, businesses risk
making assumptions instead of decisions.
He referenced Walmart as a compelling case study of data analytics done right. As one of the largest retailers in the world, Walmart processes 2.5 petabytes of data from over a million customers every hour.
The data analytics advocate disclosed that with operations in over 10 countries, Walmart relies on advanced tools like Cassandra, a highly scalable NoSQL database system that supports real-time data processing across global operations.
He pointed out how Cassandra enables the company to manage enormous volumes of structured and unstructured data efficiently, ensuring consistent performance across its network of stores and e-commerce platforms.
Additionally, he explained also that Walmart uses these tools for distributed data storage, Spark for real-time analytics, and machine learning models to power demand forecasting, supply chain optimisation, personalized recommendations, and fraud detection.
He affirmed that it is data hub, Data Café, located at its Bentonville, Arkansas headquarters, is a state-of-the-art analytics command center built to drive faster, more informed business decisions.
The marketing expert also provided an in-depth look into how data analytics is transforming multiple sectors beyond retail.
In healthcare, he outlined its use in clinical trial analysis, patient data modeling, and crafting tailored treatment plans.
In banking, the data analytics expert stated that data analytics enhances fraud detection, risk modeling, and portfolio analysis.
“The logistics sector, benefits from route optimization, warehouse efficiency, and smart delivery systems.”
In a particularly engaging segment, he explored Prompt Engineering, noting the fact that today, the tool has become the “engine room of today’s AI-powered marketing.
He described Prompt Engineering as the discipline of crafting effective prompts that guide AI models to produce accurate, relevant, and high-value outputs.
He elaborated on why it matters in an an AI-driven marketing world, your output is only as good aswhere your input. Prompt engineering helps you communicate precisely with machines to achieve desired campaign results, content generation, customer service responses, and marketing automations.”
He stressed that, “Prompt engineering enhances productivity by allowing teams to quickly develop ideas, optimize AI systems for performance, and speed up prototyping for content or strategy testing.”
According to him, it also supports data-informed ideation and enables marketers to focus more on strategic and creative execution by offloading repetitive tasks to intelligent systems.
He enumerated several other benefits of prompt engineering include better output consistency, reduced time spent on manual interventions, increased campaign relevance, and improved overall efficiency across marketing operations.
He noted that a successful entry into data analytics requires a foundation in tools such as Excel, SQL, and Power BI, alongside a good grasp of data ethics, statistics, and business strategy. Additional desirable skills include knowledge of APIs, cloud platforms (AWS, GCP), and data storytelling—especially for marketers aiming to present insights persuasively to C-level stakeholders.
Applauding ADVAN’s vision, praised the association for Equere creating a platform where data literacy and marketing intelligence meet.
There is no doubt that this series has become a go-to for every serious marketer in the country.
For many, It is not just another webinar, it is an accelerator for career growth and a compass for the future of marketing.
ADVAN’s Fundamentals of Marketing training continues to earn its stripes as one of the most valuable learning interventions in Nigeria’s marketing landscape. With each edition, it not only addresses emerging themes but sets the tone for what marketing in Africa’s largest economy should look like data-smart, digitally driven, and insight-led.
By spotlighting relevant topics such as marketing automation, AI integration, and prompt engineering, ADVAN reinforces its role as a convener of thought leadership and a driver of professional excellence in the advertising and marketing community.
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