ARCON ban on foreign models, VOA will elicit retaliation – Emekekwue
By Felicia Nwosu
Against the backdrop of the new Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON’s) law that prohibits foreign models and voice-over artistes to feature in Nigeria’s marketing communications messages, Obi Emekekwue, the former Director & Global Head of Communications of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has posited that such a decision by ARCON is an act that may trigger or elicit retaliation from other countries against Nigerian models and voice-over artistes in their adverts.
He made this position while speaking on ‘Brands and You’ with Benjamin Okoh and Tony Ekweaga. While admitting that the ban may have been well-intentioned, he maintained that it may not augur well with the industry and the country in the long run. He cautioned that Nigeria should tread carefully with such a regulation, while reminding them that globalisation has made it possible to break down barriers to allow goods and services to move across continents without hindrances.
“When you cut off everybody else and say non Nigerians can participate in Nigerian space, there is a likelihood that other countries especially in Africa can also say well, we also want only our own local people to do our own campaigns and if they eventually do that, we are going to lose out in the long run,” he said.
The former UN correspondent pointed out that over the years, Nigeria has continued to dominate in the communications and entertainment sectors, and foresaw that such a ban on Nigerian models and voiceovers will impact Nigeria negatively. He therefore suggested it would have been better to throw it open but keep developing Nigeria’s local talents to meet global standards.
“My view is that there should be more strategic approach to which to create opportunities to improve the quality of Nigerian models and voice over artistes so that you continue that dominance of the space but allowing others who also want to participate to do that, allowing Nigerians to be able to go across borders as well to accomplish services. I think that the solution is to identify the reason why some adverts utilise foreign models and voiceovers by tackling infrastructural deficit through upscaling of skillset and availability of facilities. Nigeria stands to benefit much more by operating within the ambit of the AfCFTA, particularly taking into account the country’s comparative advantage in the sector,” he said.
Mr. Emekekwue noted that the ban also stands against the success and growth of the ACFCTA project which Nigeria is also championing.
“I believe that this is not the best approach even though its intention is well intended, I must admit that but I don’t believe it is the best approach to addressing the challenges we have. The ban runs counter to the spirit of the AfCFTA project which is hinged on free “trade” among African countries. By imposing a restrictive ban on non-Nigerian models and voiceovers, Nigeria is portraying itself as working against the success of the AfCFTA. Under the AfCFTA arrangement, products and services, including models and voiceovers, are supposed to be able to move freely across African borders,”
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