FG Inaugurates Advertising Offences Tribunal 

 Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja 

The federal government has inaugurated the Advertising Offences Tribunal Council that is vested with the power to regulate and control advertising in Nigeria in all aspects and ramifications.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammad Thursday in Abuja inaugurated the six-man committee headed by Justice Cecilia Olatoregun.

He said the members of the tribunal were all eminently qualified to hold the offices which they were appointed into.

The minister stressed that the federal government’s interest in boosting the role and mandate of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) for effective regulation of advertising, advertisement and marketing communication in Nigeria was predicated on the awareness that the Nigeria Advertising industry held enormous potentials to influence the nation’s economic growth.

President Muhammadu Buhari, assented to the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022, which took into cognizance the inadequacies of its predecessor as well as the need to protect consumers from illegal, untruthful, dishonest, indecent, and distasteful advertising, advertisements and marketing communication directed at, or targeting the Nigerian market.

In his remarks at the inauguration, Mohammad said the tribunal has the power to entertain all matters of violations of the provisions of the Act, the Code of Advertising Practice, Standard of Practice, and other subsidiary legislations made pursuant to the Act.

He said the federal government will continue to support the advancement of the advertising industry in country and will ensure that being a nation with remarkable characteristic as well as diverse ethnic, cultural and religious background, advertising, advertisement and marketing communications is carried out with a level of decency as well as respect for cultural values and constitutional tenets. 

The other members of the tribunal are Mr. Charles Odenigbo, Mr. Moroof Aileru, Mrs. Julia Oku Jack, Alhaji Bello Kankarofi and Mr. Idorenyen Enang.