The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria has said it will intensify regulatory efforts across traditional and digital media platforms to promote ethical advertising practices, restore investor trust, and protect consumers from deceptive marketing campaigns.
The Director-General of ARCON, Olalekan Fadolapo, disclosed this during the Advertising Standards Panel stakeholders forum held in Lagos on Thursday.
He noted that the digital economy has significantly increased the complexity of advertising regulation.
“Before now, we had just traditional media: print and broadcast. But the digital economy has changed everything. Today, you can sit in another country and push content into the Nigerian market,” Fadolapo said.
He raised concerns about the growing number of misleading advertisements, particularly on social media, warning that such practices have significant economic consequences.
“If what was taken out of the economy through deceptive adverts and shipping fraud is between N1.2tn and N1.5tn, then we must understand who is paying for these losses, consumers and legitimate businesses,” he said.
The ARCON boss also cited recent cases of AI-generated advertisements making false health claims and called for a collaborative approach to regulation.
“Advertising is not just about freedom of expression; it must be legal, decent, honest, and truthful. Our law requires that all adverts be vetted and approved by the Advertising Standards Panel before exposure,” he added.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Advertising Standards Panel, Emmanuel Agu, reaffirmed the Council’s statutory responsibility to uphold advertising ethics, saying, “Our duty is to ensure that all advertising content upholds public interest, promotes fair competition, and preserves Nigeria’s cultural values.”
Agu also noted that the ASP is composed of professionals from key regulatory and industry bodies, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, Securities and Exchange Commission, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, and the Nigerian Communications Commission, among others.
Additionally, the Chairman, Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups, Lanre Adisa, called on stakeholders to support ARCON’s efforts, especially as the advertising industry approaches its 100th anniversary in Nigeria.
“With digital disruption and global content flow, we must evolve fast. Regulation must protect not just brands and consumers, but also our economy,” he said.
The Council said it will continue engaging practitioners, media owners, and content creators to ensure that advertising in Nigeria meets global standards of accountability and professionalism.
