The Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, has reiterated the Council’s commitment to stricter oversight of ‘On Air and Online digital media platforms and advertisers’, citing increased violations of regulatory standards and what he described as selective compliance by international tech firms, brands operating in Nigeria.
In a media parley at the ARCON office in Iganmu Lagos, Fadolapo lamented that while global brands, tech companies comply with advertising regulations in countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), they often flout similar standards in Nigeria.
“In Dubai, you can’t run adverts with women in bikinis. The same tech owners who follow such strict rules in Dubai come to Nigeria and claim that their platforms are governed by American laws, as if we don’t have our own rules”, he said.
He added that ARCON has the capacity to fulfill its mandate, despite challenges. “We have the wherewithal to do our jobs. If not, you wouldn’t be seeing the things I am showing you today”, he said, referencing recent compliance strides by the Council.
Fadolapo disclosed that ARCON recently withdrew a legal case against a digital platform after three years of inactivity in court. “We withdrew the case so that we could file afresh and include newer violations. The previous case was no longer reflecting the current reality”, he explained, adding that the Council will now launch a new legal process.
Speaking further he said that digital media regulation goes beyond casual phone monitoring.
He emphasised the complexity of tracking content online, particularly when dealing with primary and secondary digital media holders.
Fadolapo stressed the importance of public participation in maintaining standards, stressing that advertising regulation is a collective responsibility. “We’ve had industry stakeholders alerting us to non-compliant ads. That’s the kind of vigilance we need”, he said.
While speaking on ARCON’s relationship with other Agencies, he described the National Orientation Agency (NOA) as ARCON’s first cousin, highlighting their shared mandate under the Ministry of Information.
He also noted that while ARCON currently do not have a governing council, it remains functional under ministerial directives and internal management.
Fadolapo estimated the current compliance rate with the Advertising Industry Standard of Practice (AISOP) at around 75 percent.
While speaking on the efforts to improve staff capacity through both local and international training, he called for more support to strengthen ARCON’s infrastructure and software systems.
He emphasised ARCON’s readiness to regulate digital media more aggressively and uphold national advertising standards. “Our mandate covers advertising, advertisement, and marketing communication. We will not fold our arms”, he said.
