According to the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Nigerian comedians, bloggers, skit makers, and other content creators using digital platforms will start facing penalties for failing to seek permission before releasing their online advertisements.
The aforementioned social media influencers and other digital media users are allegedly distributing content that is against the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice, according to the federal government through ARCON.
This was stated in a news statement issued by Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, Director-General of ARCON, who also noted that the majority of the adverts were “unethical with unverified claims and misinformation.”
The apex advertising and marketing regulatory agency vowed to take necessary actions “including sanctions and prosecution of violators of the provisions of the Act to ensure compliance.”
It said, “ARCON has received complaints on the advertisement, advertising, and marketing communications activities of skit makers, comedians, influencers, content creators/producers, bloggers, vloggers etc on digital media platforms.
“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.
“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.”
