Top Nigerian Creative Agencies to Look Out for in 2025

A 2024 report by PWC (posted on Nairametrics) highlights that Nigeria’s advertising industry’s worth was N605 billion in 2023. However, it is projected to grow to N893billion by 2028. The growth drivers in the industry remain the Cable TV (25.5%), Digital Media (18.5%) and Creative and Content Production (13.4%) segments. Implying that media leads the growth mix for the advertising sector.

However, the data on sectoral drivers prove that creative work remains the underlying driver, because media is just a vehicle upon which creative work is conveyed. Consumers and advertisers look forward to sell their products and goods, but they realize that the story of their brand has to be told. The regular expressions for such stories include; i) Video ii) Text iii) Motion and iv) Sound. These are all embodied in creative work and content production. But is there a consensus that the efficacy of creative advertising is not conclusive.

Henry Ford once said, “The man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops the clock to save time”. In the same vein, nineteenth century Philadelphia retailer John Wanamaker “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.”

These contrasting messages underlie the conflict inherent in advertising. Nonetheless, in advocating for the best means to evaluating the efficacy of advertising, David Ogilvy once said; “If it doesn’t sell, it is not creative”. Hence, the yardstick for selecting the best creative work is if the product sells. But the same person says; “The more you tell, the more you sell”, that is making a case for blitz advertising and reinforcement that comes from putting the product in the faces of people, alongside the story behind the brand.

In Nigeria, the success of creative agencies is determined by a number of factors; namely; specific client-based key performance indicators (KPI’s), the share of mind (brand equity), commercial success and awards.

BB Buzz will rely on the holy grail of creative awards, LAIF and other considerations to select the creative agencies to lookout for in 2025. We highlight the agencies in no specific order of importance and highlight their accounts, as well as their prospects.

Insight Publicis

This agency founded in 1979 by Biodun Shobanjo and Jimi Awosika has blazed the trail since that year and has produced a lot of work such as the 12 seasons of Gulder Ultimate Search. It won several awards with the following accounts; Airtel, Seven-Up, Desperados, Heineken, CAF, Amstel Malta, VISA, Tiger Beer, FBN Quest, AFCON.

Insight Publicis garnered different categories of awards with these various brands, and won the pitch to do creative work on Airtel for 2025, alongside The Hook Agency.

Just like IBM, no one ever got fired for recruiting Insight Publicis.

Another agency called SO&U, responsible for the nostalgic and cultural break-out work for Guinness. We bet many people, especially Baby Boomers, Gen-X and Millenials remember the “Udeme my friend is a great man”.

SO&U  

SO & U was founded by Udeme Ufot and manages the lucrative multi-billion naira MTN account, effective January 2025. It won the account by virtue of being the M&C Saatchi’s Nigerian affiliate. It also has other top accounts, namely; Haier Thermocool and FirstBank. These accounts no doubt position SO&U as a top creative agency to look out for. MTN Nigeria has consistently being a marketing force in the telecoms space, boasting of a resounding brand equity, built painstakingly, and with much excellence.

FirstBank on the other hand now has an activist majority shareholder in the person of Femi Otedola who is from all signals bent on repositioning the bank for increased growth.

It is worthy to note that SO&U won awards for these brands at the 2024 LAIF awards. SO & U is definitely a creative agency to look out for in 2025.

Noah’s Ark Communications

Noah’s Ark is well noted for its creative strides on the Indomie and Airtel accounts. Notably, the “Mama Do Good” campaign for Indomie, a work that has lasted since 2010, and repeated by The Hook Agency lately. They also created the “Prayer Warrior” and “Lost TVC” for Airtel. Unfortunately, Airtel left Noah’s Ark for Insight Publicis and The Hook Agency in May, 2024.

However, Noah’s Ark continues to soar under the leadership of Lanre Adisa, winning multiple awards for Maltina, Three Crowns, Mouka Foam, TGI (Terra Gold), PURECHEM, Avon.

If any agency in modern times has demonstrated a strong founder’s culture for creativity in Nigeria, Noah’s Ark is definitely that agency. We will be on the look out for them in 2025.

Ogilvy

Ogilvy with Colgate, Meristem accounts also won awards, we will watch out for this agency to see if they remain consistent and win more awards.

X3M Ideas

Since its establishment in 2012, X3M ideas blazed the trail quickly with wins from day one. Its founder, renowned and possibly the most popular Creative Director in the history of Nigeria’s advertising industry has done very well with X3M.

In 2022, they announced their foray into new markets such as Dubai, Kenya and Congo Brazzaville. They have also held the portfolio of Chivas, Flutterwave, FrieslandCampina, Diamond Bank, Glo- We cannot confirm they still hold these accounts. However, they won awards for their work for Knorr and Mortein at the 2024 LAIF awards.

Just like Noah’s Ark, X3M also enjoys a modern founder culture, hence we will look out for them in 2025.

Up In The Sky

Morning Fresh, Nack Apparel are brands managed by Up In The Sky that also won awards at LAIF 2024. Founded by the marketing duo of Oje Ojeaga and Idiare Atimomo in 2016, Up In The Sky has remained in the competitive advertising industry and has managed brands like Morning Fresh, owned by PZ Cussons.  We hope they match their last performance and do better in 2025.

7even Interactive

We have selected 7even Interactive for the sole reason of having Hero Lager, which also won an award under its management. Hero Lager is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, the Belgian company, and World’s largest brewer.

dentsuMCGARRYBOWEN

TikTok, Netflix, Budweiser are brands managed by Dentsu that won awards at LAIF 2024. Dentsu acquired McGarrybowen in 2008, and the two agencies merged to become dentsuMCGARRYBOWEN. Some of their clients on the global level are; American Express, Disney, Marriott, Subway, Ajinomoto, Marriott etc.

dentsuMCGARRYBOWEN is an agency to look out for in 2025.

DDB Lagos

Foremost Lagos creative agency-DDB no doubt remains a creative agency to look out for in 2025. It did some great work, winning awards for Interswitch, MoMo, MTN brand in 2024. Based on the testament of the awards; Insight Publicis and Noah’s Ark appear to be more formidable. But DDB is DDB. They are an agency to look out for in 2024.

 BBDO

Just like 7even Interactive, BBDO was selected on account of its work and success with Guinness Stout. The account appears to be in their custody on account of their global affiliation. Regardless, the Guinness brand and excellence, mandated on account of their established competitiveness still makes BBDO Nigeria a creative agency to look out for in 2025.