The Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups (HASG) has officially responded to the Chartered Out-Of-Home Media Practitioners of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024, which has recently passed its second reading and is now awaiting a public hearing.
In a press statement signed by its chairman, Mr. Lanre Adisa and shared with the media, the HASG expressed surprise and dissatisfaction with the proposed legislation, which aims to create a new regulatory body specifically for the Out-Of-Home (OOH) media sector.
According to the HASG, the bill’s introduction was unexpected. “The Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups (HASG) would like to state that the report concerning the Chartered Out-Of- Home Media Practitioners of Nigeria as detailed in the media – 10th of July 2024 (blueprint.ng) with a subsequent report/outlook on the 31st of July 2024 (brandcom.ng)- is news to us as a body representing the entirety of the marketing communications ecosystem. We learnt about it from the media as did everyone else. It was never presented to or discussed by the HASG at any point.”
While it expressed empathy for the OOH sector’s desire for enhanced regulation, the HASG raised several objections to the bill, stating that the current regulatory framework, overseen by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), is already well-equipped to address emerging concerns within the sector. “As much as we empathize with the OOH sectoral body, after due consideration and detailed study of the bill, we believe that the extant regulatory apparatus as currently set up by the government is robust enough to accommodate and respond to emerging concerns. The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria is well and able to integrate most of the elements contained in this bill (most of which are currently in line with the Advertising Law), whilst others are elements that need to be discussed and agreed with critical stakeholders at state and local government levels for meaningful resolution.”
One of the key concerns expressed by the HASG is the potential for regulatory fragmentation: “We believe that duplicating or splintering the existing regulatory framework will weaken rather than strengthen the marketing communications industry and further increase its operational costs substantially,” the statement warns.
The HASG’s position is clear: they do not support the bill as it stands. Instead, they advocate for ongoing dialogue and collaboration with all relevant stakeholders to address the issues raised by the bill within the framework of the existing regulatory structures. “The HASG will continue to engage with all parties on all levels to work out how the various elements as detailed in the bill can be aligned to ensure a win-win for everyone in the industry within the current regulatory framework,” Adisa assured.