FG moves to sanction advertising violations, unveils advertising offences tribunal

The Nigerian Government has inaugurated the Advertising Offences Tribunal to deal with infractions of the provisions of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) Act.

Nigeria’s Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed, inaugurated the Tribunal at an event in Abuja on Thursday, April 18, 223.

Mohammed said that ARCON is vested with the mandate to regulate and control advertising in Nigeria in all ramifications, stating that the Government is setting up the Tribunal to aid the Council in carrying out its responsibilities.

He said: “The Council was vested with the power to regulate and control advertising in Nigeria in all aspects and ramifications. To ensure the success of the Council in carrying out its statutory responsibilities, the Act established the Advertising Offenses Tribunal.

“The Tribunal is empowered to entertain all matters of violations of the provisions of the Act, the Code of Advertising Practice, Standard of Practice, and other subsidiary legislations made under the Act.”

Justice Cecilia Olatoregun chairs the newly-inaugurated Tribunal. The other members of the Tribunal include; Mr. Charles Odenigbo, Mr. Moroof Aileru, Mrs. Julia Oku Jack, Alhaji Bello Kankarofi, and Mr. Idorenyen Enang.

According to the Minister, the Nigerian Government will continue to support the growth of the advertising industry in the country and ensure ethics of advertising and marketing communications are adhered to with decency.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Minister said that the Tribunal is empowered to entertain all matters of violations of the provisions of the Act, Code of Advertising Practice, Standard of Practice, and other subsidiary legislations made according to the Act.

He described the inauguration as a landmark, saying that experts believe the Tribunal is the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

He said: “The Federal Government will continue to support the advancement of the advertising industry and will ensure that as a nation with remarkable characteristics, diverse ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds, advertising, advertisement, and marketing communications will be carried out with a level of decency as well as respect for cultural values and constitutional tenets”.

Mohammed stated that it is in the Nigerian Government’s interest to enhance the role and mandate of ARCON for effectively regulating advertising and marketing communications in the country.

Per the Minister’s statement, the emergence of new media with its enormous capacity to foster business growth, employment, and change activities necessitated the National Assembly passing the ARCON Act.