The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has issued a directive mandating all influencers and content creators to seek prior approval before publishing advertisements on any platform.
In a statement released on Monday and signed by ARCON Director-General, Olalekan Fadolapo, the council expressed deep concern over the growing trend of misleading advertisements, particularly on digital platforms. The recent collapse of the CBEX Ponzi scheme was cited as a grim example of the dangers posed by deceptive advertising.
“Such tragedies show the importance of vetting advertising materials for honesty, transparency, and compliance with ethical standards before dissemination,” Fadolapo said.
He emphasized that all advertising content, regardless of the platform or medium, must be reviewed and approved by ARCON to ensure it adheres to regulatory standards. He warned that advertisements which misrepresent facts, omit vital information, or exploit vulnerable audiences would not be tolerated.
The council also reiterated that social media platforms fall under its regulatory oversight. Influencers and content creators who fail to obtain prior approval risk facing investigations and possible sanctions from the Advertising Offences Tribunal.
To bolster enforcement, Fadolapo announced the establishment of a special compliance task force. This unit will monitor advertisements across all platforms and swiftly flag non-compliant content.
“We urge the public to also support this initiative by reporting any advertisement that appears deceptive or suspicious,” the statement added.
ARCON’s regulatory authority received further backing last month when the Federal High Court in Lagos affirmed the council’s power to oversee advertising across all media channels, including social media.
