The Director General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Olalekan Fadolapo, has reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to sanitizing the advertising industry, protect consumer rights, and enforce compliance, especially across digital platforms.
His remarks come on the heels of a Court ruling that validated ARCON’s authority to regulate advertising on all platforms, including the social media.
Fadolapo said this in Lagos on Thursday at a stakeholders engagement jointly organized by ARCON and its vetting arm, the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP), with the theme: “Promoting Responsible Advertising in Nigeria.”
The D-G raised concerns over misleading digital advertorials, especially on TikTok and stressed that all adverts must be vetted by ASP before release. He urged stakeholders to report unethical contents to the authorities.
The Chairman of the Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups, Lanre Adisa, and the ASP Chairman, Emmanuel Agu in their separate speeches called for self regulation and tech adoption to keep pace with digital trends, reiterating the role in vetting advertorials across all media excluding job ads, obituaries, and notices.
Charles Odenigbo who is a lawyer warned that under Section 34 of the ARCON Act 2022, unlicensed advertisers will face legal penalties, and urged full compliance from media professionals.
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The Forum addressed challenges like unregulated influencer ads, cross-border content, and deceptive financial and health related claims, urging collective responsibility to promote ethical advertising in Nigeria.
The event served as a call to action for a more collaborative, responsible, and forward-thinking advertising ecosystem in Nigeria.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
