In an age where advertising messages travel at the speed of light, thanks to social media and other digital platforms, maintaining ethical standards has become more than just a professional obligation. It is now a national imperative.
Stepping boldly into this critical space is the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), which has intensified its regulatory oversight across traditional and digital platforms to promote transparency, rebuild investor confidence, and most importantly, protect Nigerian consumers from deceptive marketing practices.
At the heart of this drive is ARCON鈥檚 commitment to making ethical advertising the industry鈥檚 gold standard, a message it sent loud and clear during the recently held Advertising Standards Panel (ASP) stakeholders鈥 forum in Lagos.
ARCON鈥檚 Director-General, Olalekan Fadolapo, did not hold back in addressing the urgent need for reforms in advertising regulation.
Speaking to a room filled with agency heads, regulatory officials, and media stakeholders, he made it clear that the playing field has changed, and the rules must evolve accordingly.
鈥淚n the past, we only had to deal with traditional media such as print and broadcast. But, the digital economy has altered everything. Today, content can be pushed into the Nigerian market from any part of the world,鈥 Fadolapo noted.
The digital age, while expanding reach and creativity, has also opened the floodgates for unvetted content, misleading campaigns, and harmful promotions, particularly those that exploit social media鈥檚 lack of structure. Fake miracle drugs, phony investment schemes, and AI-generated endorsements have become all too common. For ARCON, enough is enough.
Fadolapo went on to reveal disturbing figures that point to the dire economic implications of unethical advertising in Nigeria.
According to him, deceptive adverts and online scams are bleeding between N1.2 trillion and N1.5 trillion from the Nigerian economy annually.
鈥淚f deceptive ads and online scams are draining that much from the economy, we must ask: who bears the brunt? The answer is consumers and honest businesses,鈥 he stressed.
This sobering reality is part of what fuels ARCON鈥檚 push to raise the bar. It is not just about catching violators after the damage is done; it鈥檚 about preventing abuse through rigorous pre-vetting, industry-wide education, and stronger inter-agency collaboration.
The Advertising Standards Panel (ASP) plays a key role in ARCON鈥檚 ethical push. As the body responsible for vetting all advertising content before it goes public, the ASP now operates with heightened vigilance and a broader mandate.
Chairman of the ASP, Emmanuel Agu, outlined the panel鈥檚 responsibilities: He said, 鈥淥ur job is to ensure that all advertising respects public interest, encourages fair competition, and reflects Nigeria鈥檚 cultural heritage.鈥
The ASP is not just another internal board; it comprises representatives from critical agencies such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), NAFDAC, and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), a powerful coalition designed to close every possible loophole.
Farfromresistance, ARCON鈥檚renewedregulatory zeal has been met with widespread approval within the advertising community.
Lanre Adisa, Chairman of the Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups (HASG), called on all industry players to align with ARCON鈥檚 mission: He said, 鈥淲ith the increasing influence of digital platforms and the influx of global content, it鈥檚 imperative that regulation evolves swiftly. It鈥檚 not just about safeguarding brands and consumers, it鈥檚 about protecting our entire economy.鈥
He also noted that with the Nigerian advertising industry nearing its centennial milestone, this is the ideal moment to clean house and fortify its foundation for the next 100 years.
Fadolapo also sounded the alarm on AI and its growing misuse in content creation. From AI-generated voiceovers to deepfake video testimonials, technology is being used not only to innovate, but to deceive.
鈥淎dvertising is not just about exercising freedom of expression. It must be lawful, decent, honest, and truthful,鈥 he emphasised.
鈥淏y law, every advertisement must be vetted and cleared by the ASP before it鈥檚 published or aired.鈥
In other words, creativity must remain grounded in integrity. No amount of innovation can justify deception.
ARCON鈥檚 move is not a clampdown. Rather, it鈥檚 a wake-up call. A call to agencies, influencers, advertisers, and media owners to take collective responsibility for the messages being pushed into public consciousness.
To drive this point home, the agency has outlined key steps that cut across stricter pre-clearance of ads across all platforms, heightened monitoring of digital campaigns, increased collaboration with government and private sector regulators, sanctions for violations, including withdrawal of campaigns and prosecution and continuous education of stakeholders on advertising ethics.