ARCON stated in a public notice that this is in accordance with the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice provisions and the ARCON Act No. 23 of 2022. According to the regulator, anyone caught violating the Act would be sanctioned and prosecuted in a court of law.
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ARCON added that enforcing compliance with the Act became crucial after it received complaints about unregulated advertisements, advertising, and marketing communications activities of skit makers, comedians, influencers, content creators/producers, bloggers, vloggers, and others on digital/online media platforms.
Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, Director General, has warned that the Council will enforce compliance to sanitise advertising space. “ARCON has received complaints on the advertisement, advertising, and marketing communications activities of skit makers, comedians, influencers, content creators/producers, bloggers, vloggers, and others on digital media platforms”.
Fadolapo stated in the statement. “The majority of the advertising disclosed by this organisation are not only unethical, with unverified claims and misinformation, but they also violate the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice.” “ARCON will take all necessary actions, including sanctions and prosecution of violators of the Act’s provisions to ensure compliance.” He added.
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Earlier in October, ARCON filed a lawsuit in the Abuja division of the Federal High Court against Meta incorporated, owners of Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and its agent AT3 Resources Limited, alleging that the social media platform’s continued exposure of unvetted advertisements had resulted in a loss of revenue to the federal government.
In this case, the apex regulating authority for Nigeria’s advertising ecosystem seeks N30 billion in sanctions for “violation of advertising rules and revenue loss as a result of Meta’s ongoing exposure of prohibited advertisements on its platforms.”