The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria ARCON has banned the use of foreinf models and voice over on the country.
Mr Fadolapo said the ban was in line with the federal government’s policy of developing local content, inclusive economic growth and the need to take necessary steps and actions to grow the Nigerian advertising industry
“All advertising, advertisements and marketing communications materials are to make use of only Nigerian models and voice-over artists,” Olalekan Fadolapo, the director-general of ARCON, said in a statement.
The ban would cover all non-Nigerians and will put paid to the numbers of western, white actors who have appeared regularly on the country’s television adverts.
Even before the ban was announced companies had to pay a 100,000-Naira (about $240) tariff for every foreign model used in an advert, making Nigeria one of the world’s most uncompromising environments on media representation.
The director-general said the ban, which will take effect from October 1, is in tandem with ARCON’s Act No.23 of 2022.
However, he said, “Ongoing campaigns are permitted to run out their terms. However, subsequent applications for revalidation for continued exposures of such materials will not be granted by the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP).”
He added, “Advertisers, advertisement agencies, media houses, advertising community and the general public are hereby enjoined to take note.”
This has attracted many criticisms from the people who viewed the decision as an unfair treatment of non-Nigerians.
This will also affect South Africans models and voice-over artistes who are in the country.
“This is how you chase away people with sense, investors and people that wants to see your country. Plunging the country into darkness. What does this have to even do with the problems of Nigeria right now”
“This is wrong in a short term and on a long run.
The effect will affect Nigerians negatively than we will intend to benefit from it( i doubt if there’s any).
Nigeria has lost the morale right to cry agaisnt any form of “phobia” from any Nation.
There should be free market”
“You can’t ban your way to success. It is free competition that has made us household names in other sectors like music, movies, and sports.
Why do our regulatory bodies feel the need to ban things to succeed?”