The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has vowed to take all necessary measures, including legal proceedings, against platform owners, advertisers, and agencies responsible for exposing unapproved advertisements, in line with the country’s advertising laws.
This statement comes from the Council itself, which disclosed that the offensive Bokku Supermarket adverts circulating on social media were neither submitted for vetting nor approved by the Advertising Standards Panel. The ads reportedly incite ethnic and sectional prejudices, denigrating specific groups and running counter to the Federal Government’s policy of national unity and peaceful coexistence.
“ARCON is committed to taking all necessary steps, including legal actions, to sanction the platform owners, advertisers, and agencies that engage in the exposure of unapproved advertisements in line with the Nigerian advertising laws,” the Council said. A special monitoring and enforcement task force has also been deployed to track unapproved ads across media platforms accessible in Nigeria.
The regulator thanked Nigerians who report violations of advertising ethics and encouraged the public to continue supporting the Council by flagging advertisements that appear unethical, deceptive, illegal, or make unrealistic claims. ARCON emphasized that as gatekeepers, it will maintain efforts to foster a more decent and consumer-protective advertising environment.
All stakeholders and members of the advertising community are urged to recommit to the principles of truthful, legal, decent, and responsible advertising.
