AAAN rejects bill for separate regulation of out-of-home advertising

AAAN opposes a bill for a separate regulator for out-of-home advertising, citing potential inefficiencies and industry fragmentation

The Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) has voiced strong opposition to a proposed bill seeking to establish a separate chartered institute to regulate out-of-home advertising in Nigeria.

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The bill, titled “Chartered Out-of-Home Media Practitioners of Nigeria,” sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, was the subject of a public hearing held on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at the National Assembly.
AAAN Advocates for Strengthening Existing Regulations

Speaking at the hearing, AAAN President Mr Lanre Adisa emphasised that the Nigerian advertising industry is already governed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), which provides a comprehensive framework to ensure ethical standards and harmonised practices across the sector.

He argued that duplicating ARCON’s functions by creating a new regulatory body would lead to inefficiencies and undermine the industry’s cohesion. “Rather than fragment the industry, the National Assembly should focus on strengthening ARCON to address any gaps,” Adisa urged.

Adisa dismissed claims that out-of-home advertising lacks regulation, explaining that state-level agencies such as LASAA in Lagos already manage these processes effectively. He warned that a new regulator would render these state agencies irrelevant, creating confusion and administrative inefficiencies.

Additionally, he noted that the proposed chartered institute would burden outdoor practitioners with dual certification requirements—first from ARCON and then from the new entity—making the process unnecessarily cumbersome.

Adisa highlighted the risks of disrupting Nigeria’s unified advertising ecosystem under ARCON. “If every sectoral group opted for parallel regulatory entities, it would lead to a fragmented, less competitive industry,” he said.

He called on stakeholders, including the bill’s promoters, to prioritise collaboration over redundancy, which could stifle the industry’s growth.

The AAAN President concluded by urging the Senate to scrap the bill, emphasising the need to maintain a unified regulatory approach for a globally competitive advertising landscape.

“The current framework has made significant progress in integrating the industry. Let us focus on creativity and collaboration to address challenges rather than introduce unnecessary fragmentation,” he stated.

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The AAAN’s stance reflects its commitment to fostering a cohesive and thriving advertising ecosystem, urging all stakeholders to work together under ARCON’s established framework to achieve sustainable growth.