The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has banned the use of foreign voice-over artists and models.
Apex regulatory body in the nation’s integrated marketing
communications space, the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON)
has announced the successful signing into law the Advertising Regulatory
Council of Nigeria (ARCON) Bill into law, and the consequent change of name to
ARCON.
Disclosing this at a media briefing, on Monday, the Director
General of the body, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, also announced the ban on the use of
foreign models and Voice –over artists on the nation’s advertising space, to
develop local talent and inclusive economic growth for sectors of the country,
including advertising.
He explained that with the new ARCON Act, the existing
APCON Act, promulgated in 1988 to enable the body effectively regulate and
control the practice of advertisement in the country.
According to him, the new ARCON Act, puts the regulatory
body in good stead to better carry out its statutory regulatory duties, since
it takes care of noticeable gaps in the former APCON Act.
One of such gaps, he added, is the control of the new media
and online advertisement, which he believed was not properly taken care of in
the old APCON Act.
Fadolapo, however stated that though the new Act provides
the council with more regulatory powers, the agency, he added, would only
regulate to enhance inclusive growth.
“Stakeholders in the industry should be rest assured that we
are not regulating to strangulate. All we plan to achieve with these new
regulatory powers is to ensure good corporate governance and inclusive growth
in the sector,” he added.
Speaking on the ban of foreign models and Voice-over artists
on the nation’s advertising media space, as from October 1, this year, the
ARCON’s boss described the decision, as in tune with federal government’s
policy of developing local talents, and the need to take some actions
aimed at growing the nation’s advertising space.
Fadolapo argued that while those with running campaigns
would be allowed to conclude such campaigns, even if it exceeds the October 1,
2022 deadline, he however insisted that new advertisements, advertising and
marketing communications materials must make use of only Nigerian models
and Voice-over artists, as from that date.
“All advertisements, advertising and marketing
communications materials are to make use of only Nigerian models and Voice-over
artists.”
“Ongoing campaigns are permitted to run out their terms, however subsequent applications for revalidation for continued exposure of such materials will not be granted by the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP),” he added.