The apex advertising regulatory body in Nigeria, Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria has expressed deep concerns about the series of advertisements exposed during the recent Easter celebration by advertisers, media owners, and advertising agencies.
In a statement signed its Director-General, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, ARCON revealed that the advertisements were not only provocative, insensitive, offensive, and incendiary but were also not submitted nor vetted by the Advertising Standards Panel in accordance with the provisions of section 53(1) of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No.23 of 2022.
According to the regulatory body, a number of advertisements were observed during the Easter celebration to be unpleasant and demeaning to the Christian faith. ARCON went ahead to make it clear that it will take necessary actions to ensure that the rights, sensitivities, and religious beliefs of any sect or group of people are not ridiculed, disparaged, or exploited for commercial gains or otherwise.
It therefore revealed that it will take necessary actions to ensure that advertisers, advertisement agencies, and the media/media owners are held accountable for their actions.
ARCON therefore strongly advised advertisers, advertisement agencies, and the media/media owners to desist from exposing any form of advertisement without obtaining the prior approval of the Standards Panel. The Council also warned that violators will be sanctioned in accordance with the law.
ARCON added that it is committed to ensuring that all advertisements in Nigeria are compliant with the provisions of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No.23 of 2022. He emphasized that the Council will not hesitate to enforce the law and sanction violators.
ARCON also emphasized its commitment to ensuring that all advertisements in Nigeria are compliant with the provisions of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No.23 of 2022. The Council has over the years, called on all advertisers, advertisement agencies, and the media/media owners to collaborate with it to achieve this goal and avoid any further exposure of incendiary and provocative advertisements.
ARCON was formerly the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) which was established by the Advertising Practitioners Act No. 55 of 1988, as amended by Act No. 93 of 1992 and Act No. 116 of 1993 (now Advertising Practitioners Registration Act Cap A7 of 2004) .
Its vision has been to promote responsible and ethical advertising practice, acting as the conscience of the society and watchdog for the consumers, while managing the needs and interests of the stakeholders in Nigeria’s advertising industry.