Industry leaders warm up to ARCON law
By Abimbola Mohammed
Ahead of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) law expected to take full form as soon as the gazette is out, industry leaders are already gearing up to embrace the long awaited reform. ARCON is expected to reposition, influence and contribute to the development of advertising and marketing, while empowering the Council to operate as a law.
At a recent event, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, Registrar/CEO of ARCON, noted that the law was expected to take its full form by the end of last week.
“We have had a series of requests for copies of the new law but let me state here that I am yet to get a gazette copy of the law. We are all aware that until a new law is enrolled and gazetted, no government official can speak to the law. The promise is that before the end of this week, copies will be available; so I may not be in a position to speak to the new law until the gazette copies are reviewed.
“The industry reform is huge and this is the last phase. We started with the code in 2012, which was reviewed. After that, the proclamation of the corporate license regime followed, and we had the AISOP. The law was supposed to be the last part which has been done,” he said.
Expressing support and corroborating the Registrar’s position on the new law, industry professionals in separate interviews with MARKETING EDGE, noted that the ARCON law, if gazetted, will go a long way to sanitize the industry.
Femi Adelusi, President of Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN), said the reform will help influence and contribute to the development of the industry.
“What all these do is to enable us to influence and contribute positively to the development of our industry and put forward ideas, thoughts and views that allow us to address our peculiar challenges and innovations that enhance sectoral reforms. These reforms have a direct impact on the businesses of the client and brands we work on and ultimately impact positively on the goal of helping the brands and companies to grow. The growth of the clients’ businesses has a direct impact on the economic recovery and growth of our country.”
“I wish to thank the ARCON Register, Dr Lekan Fadolapo, the Presidents of all Sectoral bodies and members of HASG (ADVAN, AAAN, OAAN, EXMAN, and BON) for their support and collaboration. It has been stated on several occasions that we have a unique opportunity to collaborate & consolidate on the reforms and make significant progress in the professionalism and standard of the marketing communication practice,” he added.
On his part, Rotimi Bankole, Group CEO, SBI Media, noted that the reform would help improve the business of advertising in Nigeria.
“The recent reforms in the advertising sector would help improve the business of advertising by promoting healthy relationships amongst the stakeholders, the advertisers, the agencies and the media suppliers,” he said.
“The passage of the bill is a net positive for the marketing communications industry. As a key stakeholder in the sector, SBI Media Group will be supportive of the implementation of the new legal framework that holistically regulates the professionalism and impact of advertising practice, he added.
On his part, Seyi Iwayemi, Senior Group Head/Project Director, Channels Management, MaxiMedia Global Communication Ltd, noted that ARCON is a welcome idea that will aid and sanitize the industry challenges.
“ARCON is a welcome idea that will help expand the scope of the regulation in the advertising industry. It will help sanitize previous challenges that have become teething. Though I have not reviewed the entire bill, it gives a ray of hope for better days to come in the ad industry, trusting that we will keep improving advertising practice and regulation in Nigeria,” he said.
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