Nigeria’s advertising regulator, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON)has ordered parody creators, social media influencers and bloggers, among others, to seek its approval before advertising any product or service online.
In a public notice issued on Monday, ARCON said this is in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Advertising Code of Practice and the ARCON Act No. 23 of 2022.
The regulator added that anyone caught violating the Law would be sanctioned and prosecuted in a court of law.
The Capercaillie: ARCON added that enforcing the Act became imperative after complaints it received about unregulated advertisements, publicity, and marketing communications activities from parody creators, comedians, influencers, content creators/producers, bloggers, vloggers, etc. on digital/online media platforms.
Explaining the problems with the ads that digital influencers advertise, ARCON in the notice signed by its General Director, Olalekan Fadolapo, said:
- “Most of the ads exposed by this group are not only unethical with unverified claims and misinformation, but also in violation of the Nigerian Advertising Code of Practice.
- “By this public notice, brand owners, digital agencies, sub-digital agencies media space owners (i.e. bloggers, vloggers, influencers, comedians, parody creators, etc.) and other stakeholders in online digital media advertising The space is advised to obtain pre-exhibit approval for all advertisements, Advertising and marketing communications in accordance with the Nigerian Advertising Code of Practice and the ARCON Act No. 23 of 2022.
- “ARCON will take all necessary measures, including sanctions and prosecution. violators of the provisions of the Law to ensure compliance.
In case you missed it: In early October, ARCON had filed a lawsuit against Meta Incorporated, owners of Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp, and its agent AT3 Resources Limited in the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, alleging that the social media platform has continued the unexamined ad exposure had led to lost revenue for the federal government.
- In the lawsuit, the main regulator of Nigeria’s advertising ecosystem seeks penalties of 30 billion naira for the “violation of advertising laws and loss of revenue as a result of Meta’s continued exposure of unapproved ads on its platforms.”