LASAA emphasises on revenue drive, pledges support to outdoor operators

The New administration at the Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA) has declared it would work in close collaboration and in partnership with business stakeholders in the outdoor advertising sector but emphasised its actions would be guided by strict adherence to regulatory standards and commitment towards revenue drive for the state.

In what appears like a demonstration of its favourable disposition to business operators in the sector, the agency said it would soon embark on reviewing the Vacant Board Discount rate policy to reflect current economic realities and state of the industry.

This was made known by the Assistant General Manager Temitope Akande recently in Lagos. According to him, plans are afoot for the new administration to review the registration process to prospective outdoor advertising practitioners with a view to tightening entry permit to the sector and promoting best practices.

He added that the payment plan would be looked into with the aim of easing practitioners’ ability to meet their financial obligations to the state.

On the agency’s projections and expectations for the industry going forth in the New Year and the new decade, Akande said that the administration would interface with the leadership of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OOAN) with a view to improving on working relations with industry operators.

He further disclosed plans by the agency to constitute a standing committee that would constantly liaise with the group and ultimately metamorphose into a quarterly meeting arrangement with the groups.

“We are meeting with heads of other sectoral bodies such as Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Media Independent Practitioners of Nigeria (MIPAN) and Experiential Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (EXMAN).

“We are interfacing with Military Formations Head to find lasting solutions to outdoor advertising structures within the military barracks and precincts,” he added.

He restated the agency’s commitment to improving upon its relationship with local and foreign stakeholders in the outdoor advertising and out-of-home and signage sectors within and outside Nigeria through participating in exhibitions, training and conferences for the purpose of broadening the horizons, deepening knowledge and sharing experiences with the world, adding that this was perfectly in tandem with the agency’s vision to be an international leader in signage control, outdoor advertising regulation and civic beautification.

“From our end, we are interfacing with government agencies whose operations are ancillary to ours to see how we can significantly reduce the incidence of double and multiple taxations. This is part of the agenda we have set before ourselves so that the businesses of practitioners can flourish without too much financial burden,” he concluded.