The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has issued a directive mandating all social media influencers, content creators, and digital marketers to obtain prior approval before publishing any advertisements on any platform.
This directive was announced on Monday in a statement signed by ARCON’s Director-General, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo. The council expressed growing concern over the proliferation of misleading and unvetted advertisements, particularly on digital media platforms.
Fadolapo cited the recent CBEX Ponzi scheme scandal as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by unchecked advertising content, stating that the incident highlights the need for strict compliance with ethical and legal advertising standards.
“Such tragedies show the importance of vetting advertising materials for honesty, transparency, and compliance with ethical standards before dissemination,” the statement read.
Reaffirming ARCON’s regulatory authority, Fadolapo emphasized that all advertisements—regardless of the medium—must undergo the council’s vetting and approval process prior to publication.
“Advertisements that misrepresent facts, omit critical information, or are designed to exploit vulnerable audiences will not be tolerated,” he stated.
ARCON made it clear that no media channel is exempt, including social media. Influencers and digital creators fall squarely under its regulatory framework and are therefore required to secure the necessary approvals for all promotional content.
To enforce compliance, the council announced the launch of a dedicated task force tasked with monitoring advertisements across all platforms and flagging violations. ARCON also warned that individuals or organizations found disseminating unapproved ads will be investigated and may face sanctions before the Advertising Offences Tribunal.
“We urge the public to support this initiative by reporting any advertisement that appears deceptive or suspicious,” the statement added.
Recall that Nigeria’s digital advertising space has experienced rapid growth in recent years, driven by influencers, celebrities, music stars, and online marketers. However, the surge has also led to a proliferation of scams and unregulated ads, raising serious regulatory concerns.
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