ARCON Introduces New Policy for Vetting Social Media Advertisements in Nigeria

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has introduced a new policy that will require Nigerian individuals and businesses running social media advertisements to pay an extra cost for the vetting of their content. Previously, ARCON had mandated social media influencers, bloggers, and others to seek its approval before advertising any product or service online. The regulatory body has now released its rates for vetting such content.

Under the new policy, the normal vetting process for a social media ad will cost N7,500 and take approximately 7 days. However, for those seeking expedited approval within 2 days, ARCON has set a fee of N70,000. 

Additionally, individuals or businesses who require their adverts to be vetted within one day will need to pay a higher fee of N100,000.

This move by ARCON aims to regulate and ensure the compliance of social media advertisements in Nigeria. It serves as a means to maintain quality standards and safeguard consumers from misleading or inappropriate content. Advertisers in the country will need to factor in these additional costs and timelines when planning their social media campaigns.

IMPORTANT NOTICE 

A notice signed by its Director-General, Olalekan Fadolapo, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) highlights the concerns associated with digital influencers promoting advertisements. The notice reads:

“Most of the advertisements exposed by this group are not only unethical with unverified claims and misinformation, but also in violation of the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice.”

“By this public notice, brand owners, digital agencies, secondary digital media space owners (i.e. bloggers, vloggers, influencers, comedians, skit makers, etc), and other advertising stakeholders in the digital online media space are advised to obtain pre-exposure approval of all advertisements, advertising, and marketing communications in accordance with the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and the ARCON Act No. 23 of 2022.”

“ARCON will take all necessary actions including sanctions and prosecution of violators of the provisions of the Act to ensure compliance.”

In October, ARCON took legal action against Meta Incorporated, the parent company of Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp, as well as its agent AT3 Resources Limited. The lawsuit was filed at the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, alleging that the social media platform's failure to vet advertisements had resulted in revenue loss for the federal government.

The regulatory body seeks a sanction of N30 billion as compensation for the "violation of advertising laws and the financial implications caused by Meta's continued display of unapproved advertisements on its platforms."

In December of last year, ARCON released a public notice requiring skit makers, social media influencers, bloggers, and others to obtain approval from the council before advertising any product or service online. This directive aligns with the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and the ARCON Act No. 23 of 2022. According to the regulator, anyone caught violating the Act would be sanctioned and prosecuted in a court of law.