‘Retarding growth’ Fadolapo kicks again, insists on 75% local content of ad targeted at Nigerians

The Director General of Advertising Regulation Council of Nigeria, ARCON, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, has again taken on media and advertisement practitioners over percentages allotted local content in advertising production.

In a release made available to Freelanews and signed by Dr. Fadolapo, the regulatory agency stated that it is perfecting plans to compel minimum of 75% cumulative local content in advertisements targeted at the Nigerian market.

Note that it has been the practice of advertisers to produce contents meant for the Nigerian space outside the country and it is the belief of ARCON that this act results in loses for the industry aside from compounding the issues of unemployment in the country.

“The Nigerian Advertising industry loses over N120bn annually to production of advertising, advertisement and marketing communication materials outside the country. This has continuously led to loss of jobs in the industry, retarding the growth and development of the Nigerian advertising industry.

“The current efforts of the Federal Government aimed at job creation, inclusive growth and development of various sectors of the economy are negatively affected by this trend which if not regulated, will lead to continuous decimation of the Nigerian Advertising Industry,” the DG said.

In line with Section 8(1) of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022, which empowered the Council to ensure the preservation of Nigerian local content and use of indigenous skills (in important element in advertising, advertisement and marketing communication materials and for such services directed at the Nigerian market), Dr. Fadolapo revealed that ARCON will commence implementation of a policy to ensure a minimum of 75% cumulative local content of all advertising advertisement and marketing communication materials with effect from January 1, 2023.

For clarifications, check out the guidelines below.

What are the Advertising Local Content Guidelines

The policy on minimum of 75% cumulative local content will be a applicable to all advertising advertisement and marketing communication materials directed at the Nigerian market. The following guidelines will apply

• Model & Voice-over artist shall be Nigerian citizens.
• Production of advertising, advertisement and marketing communication materials must be done in Nigeria. Ambience should reflect Nigeria as much as possible.
• Production crew may include foreigners. However, Nigerian and Nigerian organizations must partake in the production. Post production may be done at any location (within or outside Nigeria).

Objectives of the policy

• The new policy is to enable Nigerians and the Nigerian economy benefit from an industry that has benefited tremendously from Nigerians as consumers and the Nigerian economy.
• Annually, this policy will create over 500,000 new job opportunities within the advertising industry with a positive multiplier effect on the economy. Current job holders will be protected as the Nigerian advertising ecosystem will witness progressive growth. The new policy will also attract investment to the industry.
• The leakages and capital fight being experienced in the industry as a result of foreign production of advertising campaigns will be discouraged ARCON will continue to promote ethical advertising and marketing communications.

Rtn. Victor Ojelabi

Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.