Advertising Agencies Back FG, ARCON, Reject Chartered Out of-Home Media Bill

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja 

The Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) has rejected the proposed law before the Senate seeking to establish the Chartered Out-of-Home Media Practitioners Bill.

The President of the AAAN, Lanre Adisa, made the position of the advertising agencies known in the position paper submitted to the Senate.

The Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service, Information and National Orientation and the Media and Public Affairs held a public hearing on the bill on Wednesday.

The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the Nigerian Press Council and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria and other stakeholders in the advertising industry had at the Senate public hearing kicked against the bill.

The bill was sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.

Abaribe told the gathering that the bill seeks to establish a regulatory body that will oversee, promote, and enhance the practice of out-of-home media in Nigeria. 

He said the out-of-home media industry, encompassing billboards, transit advertising, and digital displays, plays a pivotal role in our country’s advertising landscape. 

But in rejecting the bill, Adisa said the advertising sector in Nigeria is already operating under a comprehensive regulatory framework through the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON).

He said, “The established body provides oversight, ensures ethical standards, and harmonises practices across the industry. 

“While one can empathise with the notion of outdoor practitioners protecting their investment, this would require that they are vested with absolute control over the territories where their boards are sighted. 

“There is nothing in this bill that vests such powers in the proposed chartered entity. That power statutorily resides with the local governments as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution. 

“While it is true that ARCON is responsible for approving the messages that are displayed on billboards, it is not in any way true that the process of erecting outdoor structures is not regulated. 

“This is the purview of state outdoor agencies like LASAA in Lagos and its equivalents in other parts of the country. 

“These facts need to be put into consideration in assessing this proposed bill. 

“For this bill to have any relevance as envisaged by its promoters, these state agencies will have to cease to exist. 

“Creating another regulatory body solely for outdoor advertising is not only unnecessary but counterproductive. 

“It risks duplicating functions, causing administrative inefficiencies and fragmenting an industry that thrives on integration and cohesion. 

“This fragmentation could disrupt the progress we’ve made in building a unified and globally competitive advertising ecosystem under the current regulatory protocol being provided by ARCON. 

“The bill also stands to place unnecessary burdens on those who are in outdoor practice or are considering it as a business or profession. 

“First, they will need to be certified to practise or run outdoor business by ARCON. 

“After satisfying this condition, they will be expected to be certified a second time to practise or run outdoor business by the proposed chartered institute. 

“Passing this bill will also set a bad precedent for our industry. At the moment, there are not less than six sectoral bodies that are regulated by ARCON. 

“We can only imagine the state of confusion and complexity that will be created if every other sectoral group decides to opt for its own parallel regulatory entity in the name of shoring up professionalism and protecting their investment. 

“We at AAAN believe these issues can be managed successfully under the current situation if we apply the creativity we offer our clients to our practice and business. 

“Rather than proliferating regulatory bodies, I urge the  esteemed Assembly to strengthen the existing framework to address any perceived gaps; be it in ARCON or OAAN as they currently exist. 

“Let us collaborate to advance the industry without creating redundancies that hinder its growth,” Adisa added