National Assembly Gives Legislative Backing to Advertising Industry on Local Content

Raheem Akingbolu

The National Assembly has thrown its weight behind the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), on various policies being championed by the council to protect and improve the ethical advertising business environment and practice in Nigeria.

Delivering his keynote address at the 50th anniversary conference of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), held in Abuja, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Information, Hon. Olusola Fatoba, commended the players in the advertising industry for their constant commitment to position Nigeria and give her a voice, despite all odds.

While assuring Ad practitioners of unbridled support of the parliament, in whatever way necessary, he said he would engage with the leadership of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria to see to the full implementation of the local content requirements in its new Act.

He commended AAAN members for the effort they have made over the years to impact the country through their creative ingenuity.

“I recall, several years back, most of the trending advertisements on television in Nigeria were foreign adverts, with faces that did not look like us and voices that sounded very foreign, marketing products that were both made at home and abroad. This means that if an advert was not produced abroad, then it will not trend and it will not be impactful.

“However, I am impressed with the fight back that came from AAAN and its members. They stepped up their creativity, ingenuity, innovation and investment. Today, the story is different. I travel to some other African countries and I see Nigerian made adverts on their television, side by side, with our movies and our music,” Fatoba stated. 

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in a keynote address urged AAAN to support the information ministry in its quest to promote value orientation in the country.

Represented by the Director of Public Communication and National Orientation, Sunday Baba, the minister pledged the government’s commitment to delivering good governance.

The minister, while acknowledging the immeasurable contributions of the association to national development, commended it for achieving the milestone of 50 years, adding that in the past five decades, AAAN has demonstrated a commitment to excellence, professionalism and ethical standards in the field of advertising.

“Advertising plays a pivotal role in shaping public perception, driving economic growth, and fostering creativity and innovation, ”he said.

He stated that the dedication shown by the association had not only propelled the industry forward but has also inspired countless individuals and organizations to strive for greatness.

Speaking to Journalists on the sideline of the AGM, the Director General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, stated that the advertising and marketing communications industry has witnessed transformational reforms through progress-driven policies, regulatory frameworks, and legislations in the recent years. 

Fadolapo, who hailed the Tinubu/Shettima administration for its approach to boost the economy, pointed out that the recent ban on the use of foreign models and voice-over artists in Nigeria’s advertising space and the use of a cumulative of 75 per cent local content in ambience, production, and post production activities, has begun to yield positive result for the country.

“Quite a number of policies were made to protect and improve the ethical advertising business environment and practice. The administration ensured the successful implementation of the Advertising Industry Standard of Practice (AISOP), which provides a minimum standard of business practice between stakeholders as well as the deregulation of media rate in Nigeria. 

“The protection and improvement of local contents in the advertising industry were brought to the forefront to boost job creation, reduce capital flight, and attract investments in the sector,” Fadolapo said.