Nigeria’s Advertising Regulatory Council has intensified its crackdown on deceptive advertising, vowing to protect consumers from misleading campaigns following a Federal High Court ruling in Lagos reaffirming its regulatory authority.

The announcement, detailed in a statement by Director-General Dr Olalekan Fadolapo on Tuesday, highlighted the agency’s commitment to ensuring ethical advertising across all platforms.

The court’s judgment in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1262/2024 confirmed ARCON’s mandate to oversee advertising in print, broadcast, out-of-home, digital, and social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok.

Fadolapo hailed the ruling as a pivotal step in safeguarding Nigerians from harmful and unethical ads, pointing to the CBEX Ponzi scheme as a glaring example of deceptive practices. The scheme, promoted through unverified claims, misled thousands with false promises of high returns, resulting in significant financial losses.

ARCON warned agencies, advertisers, media owners, influencers, and content creators that all advertising activities must comply with the ARCON Act, with mandatory pre-approval for ads across all channels.

“We will not tolerate advertisements that misrepresent facts or exploit vulnerable audiences,” Fadolapo stated. Non-compliant entities face investigation and potential referral to the Advertising Offences Tribunal, which can impose fines and other sanctions.

The regulator expressed concern over the rising tide of deceptive digital ads, which erode public trust and cause emotional and financial harm. To strengthen enforcement, ARCON has deployed a compliance task force to monitor advertisements and flag violations swiftly.

The agency also called on the public to report suspicious ads, fostering a collaborative effort to maintain market integrity.

Fadolapo emphasised that social media is not an unregulated frontier, directly addressing influencers and content creators who promote products without approval.

“ARCON’s eyes are on every platform,” he warned, signalling an end to unchecked advertising practices. The statement urged stakeholders to prioritize truth and fairness, reinforcing ARCON’s role as a gatekeeper of Nigeria’s advertising ecosystem.