One-on-One with Sean Riley of Ad Dynamo on milestones and challenges in Nigeria

Barely a month after launching its Digital Ad Expert programme, Sean Riley, CEO of Ad Dynamo by Aleph Group Inc spoke with media representatives about the challenges, latest developments, and long-term plans Ad Dynamo has for Nigeria.

The free Digital Ad Expert programme by Ad Dynamo is designed to train, equip, and upscale young Nigerians with the digital marketing and advertising skillsets necessary to thrive in a rapidly digitising market, enabling them to compete internationally for jobs in this growth market. The program is conducted through the Aleph Group’s proprietary learning platform.

As Sean Riley mentioned during the conversation, Ad Dynamo has been present in Nigeria since 2011. With the help of major brands such as Yahoo, Twitter, Snapchat, Spotify, and others, the company has grown to be worth millions of dollars.

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Conversation with Sean Riley

Ad Dynamo, in line with Aleph Inc’s goals, has demonstrated a strong commitment to global education and growth acceleration, particularly in emerging markets. According to Sean Riley, Nigeria is the first market to receive an English translation of the Aleph training programme.

The program’s goal is to provide 8,000 qualified Nigerians with the necessary skillsets and approved certification, while also expanding digital marketing and resource opportunities.

Aleph hopes to foster an environment in which people can achieve good sales results while maintaining positive relationships.

Criteria measures

Sean Riley explained that the criteria for selection are not difficult at all. The programme is an open call for any digital marketing enthusiast who is dedicated to building a career in the same industry. During the registration process, an aptitude exam that will test the applicants’ knowledge and zeal will be administered.

Results from the test process will help determine who moves on to the next round. Sean expressed hope that through the programme, Aleph simply hopes to contribute to the talent pool of digital marketing professionals in the African market.

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Biggest challenges

Low internet connectivity and the high cost of internet data are two of the most pressing and unavoidable issues confronting Nigerians. This has been a problem for Sean and the companies he works for.

He, however, mentions that his brand partners are collaborating with local telcos to create zero-rated views, in which these companies cover the data costs on behalf of the users. This has been in operation in Nigeria for many years. But, it has not been made publicly available to users.

Sean mentioned that finding local talent has been another significant challenge, particularly in the early stages of Aleph. He explained that the company has plans for placement for the young talents who have excelled in the training programme.

He also said that there are strategies in place to help these talents get job placements in some of the brands and companies that Ad Dynamo collaborates with.

Finally, he mentions that the Naira-Dollar exchange rate is another significant challenge the company faces.

When asked about his projects for the future of digital marketing, Sean says that the future of digital advertising will be heavily dominated by TikTok and Augmented Reality (AR). He believes that the increasing availability of a faster broadband capacity has driven users to consume more video content as well as experiment with AR and VR.

Hence, marketers must meet consumers where they are mostly present.

Future plans

Sean Riley confirmed that Nigerians could very well upscale as a top emerging market when discussing his company’s future plans. He announced that Ad Dynamo plans to bring more partner brands to the Nigerian digital advertising space as Aleph plans to represent more brands.

He also said that there are plans to offer services to small businesses.

When asked if Nigeria might have a headquarters in the country, as many tech companies are choosing other African countries over Nigeria, Sean seemed sceptical, citing mobility and harsh policies as the barriers.