The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has reiterated its stance that all indigenous advertisements must be produced in the country.
According to the council, local production of advertisements has potential to reduce unemployment and improve the national economy.
Director-General of ARCON, Olalekan Fadolapo, made this known in a statement where he advised advertisers to stop the capital flight and development of other countries’ economies by going out of the country to produce adverts meant for the Nigerian market, thereby killing the advertising industry.
Last year, ARCON said the Nigerian Advertising Industry loses over N120 billion annually to production of advertising, advertisement and marketing communication materials outside the country and stated that from January 1, 2023, there must be 75 percent of cumulative local content in advertising, advertisements and marketing communication materials aimed at the Nigerian market.
The statement partly read, “All commercials to be exposed to Nigerians should be produced in Nigeria. Create jobs for our youths, help grow and develop the support service sector of the industry and circulate the money within the Nigerian advertising ecosystem.”
The statement also reiterated the agency’s ban on the use of foreigners to voice or model adverts exposed to the Nigerian market.
It stated, “Nigerians should be considered as primary in advertisement targeted at the Nigerian market. The use of foreign models and voices is banned except where it is inevitable. If you are selling your product to Nigerians, use Nigerians in your communication elements.”
ARCON also lamented the violation of the industry’s credit policy by some of the agencies, noting that their actions have led to industry debt and exploitation of media owners.
“Globally, the payment threshold is a policy in the advertising industry. Advertisers Association of Nigeria members have been offering Nigerian businesses a 120-day payment circle, thereby impoverishing the Nigerian advertising industry. These same advertisers prepay foreign media houses operating in Nigeria for media services,” it said.
