APCON Changes To ARCON, Bans Foreign Models In Nigerian Ads
Following the successful signing into law the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) Bill into law, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), has changed its name to ARCON.
The Director General of the council, Lekan Fadolapo, also announced the ban on the use of foreign models and voice over artists in the nation’s advertising space from October 2022 to further enhance the inclusive growth of the sector.
He explained that the new ARCON Act, the existing APCON Act, promulgated in 1988 to enable the body effectively regulate and control the practice of advertisement in the country.
According to him, the new ARCON Act puts the regulatory body in good stead to better carry out its statutory regulatory duties, since it takes care of noticeable gaps in the former APCON Act.
He explained that one of such gaps was the control of the new media and online advertisement, which he believed was not properly taken care of in the old APCON Act.
Fadolapo stressed that though the new Act provides the council with more regulatory powers, adding that the agency would only regulate to enhance inclusive growth.
Fadolapo said: “Stakeholders in the industry should rest assured that we are not regulating to strangulate. All we plan to achieve with these new regulatory powers is to ensure good corporate governance and inclusive growth in the sector.”
He described the decision to ban the use of foreign models and voice over artists in the nation’s advertising space, as in tune with the Federal Government’s policy of developing local talents and the need to take some actions aimed at growing the nation’s advertising space.
Fadolapo said that while those running campaigns would be allowed to conclude such campaigns, even if it exceeds the October 1, 2022 deadline, he insisted that new advertisements, advertising and marketing communications materials must make use of only Nigerian models and Voice-over artists, as from that date.
He noted: “All advertisements, advertising and marketing communications materials are to make use of only Nigerian models and Voice-over artists.”
Comments are closed.