President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) bill which was presented by Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, Registrar of ARCON to the national assembly.
The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) now operates as the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) in line with its mandate of regulating the advertising industry in Nigeria.
The bill heralds a new chapter in advertising regulation as it makes provision for the regulation and control of advertising in all its ramifications, creating the Advertising Offences Tribunal among other powers.
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Dr. Lekan mentioned that the name change was imperative to realizing his vision to reposition the advertising industry in Nigeria for growth.
The assented bill, which repeals the Advertising Practitioners’ Act, recognizes ARCON as the apex authority for the Nigerian advertising industry. By this signing, it is the statutory responsibility of ARCON to make provision for the regulation and control of advertising in all its ramifications and create the Advertising Offences Tribunal among other powers.
Therefore, the approved ARCON bill becomes a final imperative call for advertisers and agency practitioners to be aware of the potential legal ramifications of their advertising practice and initiatives, especially with respect to regulated products, to obviate legal exposure and liability. Such need becomes even more compelling where the advertising audience is, courtesy of technology and online platforms, which are running riot at the moment.
