The Evolution of Advertising in Nigeria: Promoting Local Content for Sustainable Development

Abstract

The complex relationship between advertising and local content promotion in Nigeria is one of the huge challenges to sustainable development. Cultural oversimplification, misrepresentation, and dominance of the West do significant damage to the representation of Nigerian culture authentically in the practice of advertising. This paper, therefore, reviews this relationship by incorporating historical evolution, and technological, cultural, and regulatory dynamics. The qualitative research design followed in this study generated primary data through the use of in-depth interviews conducted on key players in the Nigerian advertising industry. The primary data collected underwent a thematic analysis, while the historical analysis was supported by multiple sources, including historical records, publications from the industry itself, and scholarly literature. This research shall, therefore, be located within the understanding of the Cultural Imperialism Theory and the Development Media Theory as a lens to critically analyse the complexity of representations of local content in advertising. The results showed that there were positive and negative perceptions toward the integration of local content in Nigerian advertisements, as most consumers appreciate culturally authentic content. It identifies challenges and also shows how to use opportunities: bridging Nigeria's multicultural identity and digital platforms for sustainable development. This research underlines the need for a balance between global advertising practices and the local cultural nuances of impactful, sensitive campaigns that shall help lead the course of sustainable development and preserve the rich cultural heritage of this great nation.