Following several petitions by concern Nigerians to the advertising practitioners council of Nigeria (APCON), on unethical digital advertising, the House of Representatives directed APCON, the body with the mandate of regulating advertising in Nigeria to henceforth regulate adverts on the digital space.
It is a known fact that placement of advertisements in Nigeria has taken an amorphous form for years. Many advertisers flouted the laid-down rules and regulations for advert placements and exposure in the public space especially in the digital space.
No doubt, the advents of the internet and new media, characterized by social networking sites such as Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp etc., has massively revolutionized communication globally. This has enabled the giant tech and primary digital media platforms owners including, Facebook, Google, Twitter, YouTube and others to explore the Nigeria’s digital media space with all sort of advertisements, some of which are in violation of the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice, pre-exposure vetting and ethical requirements of an advertisement.
Speaking on this development in a media briefing recently in Lagos, the Registrar/Chief Executive of APCON, Lekan Fadalopo, said, “how will a mother feel seeing her ten-year-old boy or girl watching adverts on breast and pennis enlargement on the social media through his or her phones? Or a traditional medicine advertiser claiming his drug is capable of curing 200 plus diseases.”
According to him, the position of APCON on indiscriminate advert placements in the social media space is to sanitise the system and make advertisements conform with the laid-down rules and regulations.
He said APCON has received many petitions about the types and nature of adverts being placed in the social media space. He adding that, many people are bloggers and influencers offering themselves, their services, blogs and media handles as platforms for advertisement on without recourse to accepted principles and ethics of the advertising practice
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“The sharp increase in violation and infraction of the Nigerian Code of Advertising is not only worrisome but also portends danger. APCON has been inundated with petitions over unethical advertisements exposed on the online media platforms targeting the Nigeria market by both the primary and secondary digital media platform owners.”
He continued, “we have had complaints and petitions from the general public to call online media platform owners to order because of some reprehensible advertisements such as those promoting rituals, private parts enlargement, breast enlargement, love portions, money charms, concoctions for political powers, and other many unimaginable things not worthy to be mentioned in the public media.”
“Others have claimed the ability to cure all manner of ailments with one particular product without scientific proof. A particular advertisement offered ultimate solution with one product for cure of piles, HIV, diabetes, COVID, Stroke, Cancer etc.“ he noted.
While reacting to question on how ready APCON is to regulate advertising on the digital space, Fadolapo disclosed that, “the task of regulating advertisement on the social media may be a different and a difficult one, APCON is well-armed to effortlessly regulate the space with the help of The Federal House of Representatives. The legislators have observed the pathetic trend of the exposure of advertisements on online media advertising platforms. Consequently, they deliberated on the need to regulate online advertising.
“To help APCON carry out this obligation successfully therefore, the legislators passed a resolution and directed APCON to effectively monitor and regulate online media advertisements.
The resolution passed by the House of Representatives unequivocally directs APCON to ensure that online advertisements conform with the prevailing laws of the federation and must be made to comply with the provisions of the Nigeria Code of Advertising Practice, Sales Promotion and other Rights/Restrictions on Practice.” He said.
Dr Olalekan added that APCON’s regulations extends to all advertisements broadcasted , published, or expose on any of the digital platforms directed or accessible within Nigeria.
According to him, this can be found in the section 23 of the Advertising Practitioners (Registration Etc) Act, CAP A7, L.F.N 2004 which established the Advertising Standards Panel and charged it with the responsibility of ensuring that advertisements conform with the prevailing laws in Nigeria as well as the code of ethics of advertising
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Continuing, he pointed out that, the panel has the power to vets and approves all advertisements before exposure. He advised all advertisers, agencies and media platforms to seek the panel’s approval of any advertisement prior to exposure.
He stressed that, “the Code has adequately provided a guide and basic standard, which, as a matter of necessity all advertisements should embrace as minimum and acceptable level. The Code demands that advertisement must be legal, decent, honest, truthful, respectful and mindful of Nigeria’s culture, constitutional tenets and relevant lawful enactments.”
“With the electioneering season at hand, elective political office aspirants are also implored to ensure that their political advertisements are vetted and approved by the ASP before exposure on any medium. This will diminish the repugnant influence of hate speech and unethical political communication in the country,” the registrar said.
In its readiness to carry out this mandate, the registrar said that APCON is working on its software which will allow it to work effectively in making sure that the digital space is sanitized, adding that, APCON will also pursue all lawful means and build up the capacity with in its system to carry out this function.
“APCON is committed to ensuring that the advertising ecosystem is sanitized and shall not shy away from pursuing all lawful means, including causing the prosecution of violators of the Act and the Code of Advertising Practice when violation occurs,” he said.
