By Adeboye Ado
A Professor of Business Administration at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, Prof. Timothy Ihinmoyan, has urged governments and business operators to adopt consumer-focused marketing systems that prioritise value creation, job opportunities, and sustainable economic development.
Ihinmoyan made the call during the university’s 63rd inaugural lecture, titled “Marketing and Consumers’ Destiny: Spacing, Shaping and Strategies in the 21st Century,” held at the institution’s Multipurpose Hall.
He said Nigeria’s economic transformation depends largely on entrepreneurial-friendly policies that encourage job creation, strengthen the business environment and improve citizens’ living standards through responsible governance and efficient service delivery.
According to him, marketing should not be seen as a tool for profit alone but as a system centred on satisfying consumer needs through quality products and services that guarantee trust, loyalty and long-term patronage.
The professor stressed that customer satisfaction goes beyond product quality to include affordability, accessibility, and continuous improvement in service delivery, noting that modern marketing has increasingly become digital-driven and data-dependent.
He added that organisations must strengthen customer service units, invest in staff training, and adopt regular evaluation mechanisms to improve responsiveness to consumer complaints and enhance overall service delivery.
Ihinmoyan also identified emerging challenges in the consumer market, including information overload, privacy concerns, emotional pressure from advertising, over-reliance on digital platforms and fatigue associated with subscription-based services.
He, however, recommended solutions such as greater transparency in marketing practices, adoption of artificial intelligence for personalised services, improved supply chain systems, stronger data protection frameworks and proactive government regulation.
The scholar further called on the government to support small and medium-scale enterprises through improved infrastructure, enhanced security and policies that encourage youth participation in entrepreneurship as a pathway to economic stability.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of AAUA, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, who presided over the lecture, described the event as both an academic milestone and a reflection of the university’s commitment to research, innovation and community development.
He commended Prof. Ihinmoyan for his scholarly contributions and dedication to the growth of the institution, noting that inaugural lectures remain a key tradition for showcasing intellectual achievements within the university system.