Published 17th Oct, 2022

By Daniel Ojukwu

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has said it will “compel” all foreign advertising agencies to include Nigerians and Nigerian contents mainly in their adverts as from 2023.

In a statement issued on Monday and signed by Olalekan Fadolapo, its Director-General, ARCON said advertisers must include a “minimum of 75 per cent cumulative local content of all advertising, advertisement and marketing communications directed at the Nigerian market” as from January 1, 2023.

The agency also pointed out that apart from Nigerians losing job opportunities in the industry, the country also loses N120 billion annually to adverts produced outside the country.

This comes two weeks after the council sued Meta, parent company of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp, for “unethical and irresponsible advertising on the Nigeria’s advertising space.”

ARCON also said the activities of the outfits generally are stunting the growth of the Nigerian advertising industry.

“In line with section 8(1)(i) of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022 which empowered the Council to ensure the preservation of Nigerian local content and use of indigenous skills as an important element in advertising, advertisement and marketing communication materials and for such services directed at the Nigerian market, ARCON will commence implementation of a policy to ensure a minimum of 75 per cent cumulative local content of all advertising, advertisement and marketing communication materials with effect from January 1, 2023,” the statement obtained by FIJ, reads in part.

This, the agency said, would mean models and voice-over artists shall be Nigerian citizens, production of advertising, advertisement and marketing communication materials must be done in Nigeria, and ambience should reflect Nigeria as much as possible.

It also said that whilst foreigners may be on the production crew, Nigerians and Nigerian organisations must be part of the production.

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