Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has issued a directive mandating that all influencers and content creators obtain prior approval for advertisements.
In a statement released on Monday and signed by Olalekan Fadolapo, the director-general of ARCON, the council highlighted its growing concerns regarding the rise of misleading advertisements, particularly on digital platforms.
Fadolapo referenced the recent “CBEX Ponzi scheme” as a notable example of the harmful impact that deceptive advertising can have.
“Such tragedies show the importance of vetting advertising materials for honesty, transparency, and compliance with ethical standards before dissemination,” the statement read.
He said all stakeholders must ensure that advertisements are vetted and approved by ARCON before being made public, regardless of the platform.
“Advertisements that misrepresent facts, omit critical information, or are designed to exploit vulnerable audiences will not be tolerated,” Fadolapo added.
ARCON also said social media platforms fall under its regulatory purview, stressing that influencers and content creators must obtain prior approval for their advertisements.
The council warned that any individual or entity that publishes unapproved ads will face investigation and potential sanctions from the Advertising Offences Tribunal.
To strengthen its enforcement, the director-general said ARCON has established a special compliance task force to monitor advertisements across all platforms and swiftly identify non-compliant content.
“We urge the public to also support this initiative by reporting any advertisement that appears deceptive or suspicious,” the council said.
Last month, the federal high court in Lagos upheld the power of the ARCON to oversee advertising across all media platforms, including social media.
