Advertising Education in Nigerian University System in Era of Artificial Intelligence: Analysis of Ccmas

Technologies have become the fulcrum of knowledge economy in the 21st century, be it in
advertising, public relations or any other form of marketing communications. It is no longer the issue
whether the university should be in the marketplace but the trajectory is the degree of interface
between town and gown, if the university, particularly in Nigeria would continue to play its role in
propelling a knowledge economy with every sector gravitating towards artificial intelligence
advertising education ought not to be left out. Advertising (ad) law and practice in Nigeria lay
emphasise on employing graduates of mass communication and allied fields. Consequently, it is
expected that advertising graduates would be equipped with artificial intelligence knowledge and
skill required in advertising practice in the emerging knowledge economy in Nigeria. Advertising
graduates from Nigerian universities are expected to be global players in marketing
communications. The thrust of being global players is based on the current collaboration between
National Universities Commission, (NUC) Nigeria universities, and Advertising Regulatory Council of
Nigeria (ARCON) in development of new curriculum for advertising degree programme in Nigeria
which takes off soon. A content analysis of the new advertising curriculum in the Core Curriculum
and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) reveals that there are no courses on artificial
intelligence (AI) in the advertising programme curriculum. Also it shows that advertising educators
in Nigeria, NUC, and ARCON are yet to realise that AI is the new driver of ad practice in present
knowledge economy globally. The CCMAS should be reviewed to incorporate AI in advertising
education and all communications education in Nigeria.