The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has announced that it will publish the official Register of Licensed Advertising Practitioners and Advertisement Agencies in March 2024.
This announcement was contained in a press statement signed by the Director-General of ARCON, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo.
According to the statement, the publication of the Register is in fulfillment of Sections 22(1) and 22(5) as well as Section 23(1) of the ARCON Act 2022. These sections mandate ARCON to maintain a record of registered advertising practitioners and advertising agencies licensed to operate in Nigeria. The sections also require that ARCON publishes updates to the Register periodically.
According to the apex regulatory body of advertising in Nigeria, only advertising practitioners and agencies who have met stipulated requirements for listing will be reflected in the published Register. This, it noted, is to ensure that only qualified personnel and properly registered agencies are allowed to practice advertising and undertake advertising business in Nigeria.
The statement notes that full implementation of the corporate licensing regime for advertising agencies will commence on April 1, 2024. By implication, all advertising agencies offering services such as full service advertising, creative conceptualization, media planning and buying, digital marketing, experiential marketing, below-the-line activations, and out-of-home advertising will be required to obtain operational licenses from ARCON.
Noting that the licensing requirement applies to both local and foreign agencies operating in Nigeria, the statement added, “Only persons and organisations who have fulfilled the conditions for listing in the register, will be so listed in the publication in line with the law.”
The statement also added, “Kindly note that the full implementation of the Corporate license regime will commence on April 1, 2024. All Advertisement agencies (i.e Full Service, Creative, Media Buyer, Media Brokers, Digital Agencies, Experiential, Below The line and Out Of Home OOH) are required by law to obtain an operating license from ARCON,” it concluded.
According to industry analysts, the publication of ARCON’s Register of Certified Practitioners and Licensed Agencies will boost transparency in the advertising sector. It will also curb the activities of quacks and substandard advertising outfits, thereby leading to better professional standards and making consumers better protected from false claims.