The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has mandated that skit creators, social media influencers, bloggers, and others seek its approval before advertising any product or service on their social media pages or any other online social channel.
According to a statement released on Monday by Olalekan Fadolapo, ARCON’s director-general said that the agency is making the decision as part of its plan to force the group to comply with its Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice.
The statement also states that ARCON has been receiving complaints of unethical, unverified claims and misinformation from the group.
‘The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has received complaints on the advertisements, advertising, and marketing communications activities of skit makers, comedians, influencers, content creators/producers, bloggers, vloggers, etc on digital/online media platforms.
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“Most of the advertisements exposed by this group are not only unethical with unverified claims and misinformation, but also in violation of the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice,” the statement says.
ARCON added that it will take necessary action against defaulters, “By this public notice, brand owners, digital agencies, secondary digital media space owners (i.e. bloggers, vloggers, influencers, comedians, skit makers, etc) and other advertising stakeholders in the digital/online media space are advised to obtain pre-exposure approval of all advertisements, advertising, and marketing communications in accordance with the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and the ARCON Act No. 23 of 2022”.
