The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has announced that unapproved political advertisements will be removed beginning Monday, December 5.
Olalekan Fadolapo, ARCON director-general stated that exposure of unapproved advertisements without prior approval of the council’s advertising standards panel is an offense under section 34(3) of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022.
He stated that the council has observed a high rate of unapproved political advertisements ahead of the elections next year.
As a result, Fadolapo warned that ARCON, in collaboration with relevant law enforcement agents, would launch a nationwide enforcement campaign to remove political advertisements that had not been approved by it.
“The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) established by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022 has observed with concern the increasing spate of exposure of unapproved political advertisements ahead of the 2023 General Elections on all media platforms,” the statement reads.
“Exposure of unapproved advertisements without prior approval of the Advertising Standards Panel is an offence under section 34(3) of the Act.
“All political parties, elective political office aspirants, political campaign organisations, advertisement agencies and media space owners are hereby advised to immediately desist from exposing political advertisements without prior approval of the Advertising Standards Panel as required by the Act.
“In view of the above, ARCON, with other relevant law enforcement agencies of the Federal Government, will from Monday 5th December 2022 commence a nationwide enforcement exercise to remove every political advertisement for which approval
was not given prior to exposure.”
The ARCON DG urged industry stakeholders to refrain from placing advertisements that do not comply with regulatory laws, stating that the council would not hesitate to prosecute violators.
“ARCON will further seek to prosecute any person or body corporate who sponsors, causes to be exposed exposes or takes benefit of political advertising, advertisement or marketing communication without the approval of the Advertising Standards Panel,” the statement adds.
“All political and advertisement stakeholders are enjoined to take note.”
