Lanre Adisa, president, Heads of Advertising Sectorial Groups (HASG), has called for fair and consistent regulation of political advertising, warning that enforcement must inspire public confidence and avoid any perception of political bias.

Speaking at the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria’s Stakeholders’ Engagement on Political Advertising Regulation in Lagos on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Adisa said regulation should support responsible communication rather than focus solely on punishment.

He reaffirmed the advertising industry’s commitment to responsible, ethical and professional political communication, while urging stakeholders to look beyond immediate campaign pressures and strengthen standards that would endure beyond the 2027 elections.

“Regulation must be seen as an enabler of responsible political communication,” Adisa said.

He emphasised that a credible regulatory environment requires more than sanctions. Stakeholders must understand the rules, recognise their responsibilities and receive the guidance needed to comply.

Adisa identified continuous education, clear guidelines, transparent processes and sustained engagement with political stakeholders as essential to effective regulation.

The objective, he explained, should be to create an environment that encourages compliance, rather than relying on enforcement only after violations occur.

He also stressed the importance of impartiality, noting that regulators operating within government structures may face scrutiny over whether their decisions favour particular political interests.

“The rules must also be applied consistently, fairly and without any perception of political bias,” he said.

His remarks placed public trust at the centre of regulatory effectiveness. For regulation to command respect, stakeholders must have confidence in both the requirements and the manner in which they are enforced.

Adisa also drew attention to the changing nature of political communication, arguing that regulation must respond to a landscape no longer confined to television commercials, radio jingles, newspaper advertisements and outdoor displays.

Digital platforms, he noted, allow messages to reach large audiences within hours. At the same time, manipulated images and convincing videos of events that never happened create new risks for political communication.

“We have entered an era in which seeing is no longer necessarily believing,” he said.

He raised concerns about the challenge of regulating content that can be created anonymously, distributed rapidly and amplified beyond conventional boundaries.

For Adisa, the implications extend beyond the accuracy of individual advertisements. Deliberate misinformation and manipulated content can damage public understanding and deepen ethnic or religious tensions.

He urged stakeholders to give these issues sustained attention as they consider how to maintain responsible political communication.

Adisa said the responsibility for improving political advertising should not rest with political actors alone.

Advertising professionals, he argued, have a role in raising standards and helping campaigns communicate more meaningfully with the electorate.

Political messages should move beyond attacks on opponents and promises that cannot be supported. Instead, they should give citizens useful information about ideas, policies and leadership choices.

“It should provide citizens with meaningful information,” he said.

Drawing a parallel with commercial advertising, Adisa noted that communication should help people make informed choices. The same principle, he suggested, should guide the development of political campaign messages.

He encouraged political actors to recognise the value of professional communication rather than treat advertising merely as an instrument of propaganda.

That improvement, he added, begins with engaging qualified professionals to develop and manage campaign communication.

Adisa’s address connected responsible advertising to the wider democratic process. Political communication, he argued, must preserve the opportunity for citizens to consider competing ideas and make their own choices.

“Democracy thrives on the freedom to persuade,” he said.

His message was a call for credibility across the political advertising process: regulators must enforce rules fairly, practitioners must uphold professional standards, and political actors must offer messages that inform rather than inflame.

As preparations for the 2027 elections continue, Adisa urged an approach that combines clear regulation with meaningful engagement—one that protects responsible political expression while strengthening public confidence in campaign communication.

 

Speaking at the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria’s Stakeholders’ Engagement on Political Advertising Regulation in Lagos on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Adisa said regulation should support responsible communication rather than focus solely on punishment.

He reaffirmed the advertising industry’s commitment to responsible, ethical and professional political communication, while urging stakeholders to look beyond immediate campaign pressures and strengthen standards that would endure beyond the 2027 elections.

“Regulation must be seen as an enabler of responsible political communication,” Adisa said.

He emphasised that a credible regulatory environment requires more than sanctions. Stakeholders must understand the rules, recognise their responsibilities and receive the guidance needed to comply.

Adisa identified continuous education, clear guidelines, transparent processes and sustained engagement with political stakeholders as essential to effective regulation.

The objective, he explained, should be to create an environment that encourages compliance, rather than relying on enforcement only after violations occur.

He also stressed the importance of impartiality, noting that regulators operating within government structures may face scrutiny over whether their decisions favour particular political interests.

“The rules must also be applied consistently, fairly and without any perception of political bias,” he said.

His remarks placed public trust at the centre of regulatory effectiveness. For regulation to command respect, stakeholders must have confidence in both the requirements and the manner in which they are enforced.

Adisa also drew attention to the changing nature of political communication, arguing that regulation must respond to a landscape no longer confined to television commercials, radio jingles, newspaper advertisements and outdoor displays.

Digital platforms, he noted, allow messages to reach large audiences within hours. At the same time, manipulated images and convincing videos of events that never happened create new risks for political communication.

“We have entered an era in which seeing is no longer necessarily believing,” he said.

He raised concerns about the challenge of regulating content that can be created anonymously, distributed rapidly and amplified beyond conventional boundaries.

For Adisa, the implications extend beyond the accuracy of individual advertisements. Deliberate misinformation and manipulated content can damage public understanding and deepen ethnic or religious tensions.

He urged stakeholders to give these issues sustained attention as they consider how to maintain responsible political communication.

Adisa said the responsibility for improving political advertising should not rest with political actors alone.

Advertising professionals, he argued, have a role in raising standards and helping campaigns communicate more meaningfully with the electorate.

Political messages should move beyond attacks on opponents and promises that cannot be supported. Instead, they should give citizens useful information about ideas, policies and leadership choices.

“It should provide citizens with meaningful information,” he said.

Drawing a parallel with commercial advertising, Adisa noted that communication should help people make informed choices. The same principle, he suggested, should guide the development of political campaign messages.

He encouraged political actors to recognise the value of professional communication rather than treat advertising merely as an instrument of propaganda.

That improvement, he added, begins with engaging qualified professionals to develop and manage campaign communication.

Adisa’s address connected responsible advertising to the wider democratic process. Political communication, he argued, must preserve the opportunity for citizens to consider competing ideas and make their own choices.

“Democracy thrives on the freedom to persuade,” he said.

His message was a call for credibility across the political advertising process: regulators must enforce rules fairly, practitioners must uphold professional standards, and political actors must offer messages that inform rather than inflame.

As preparations for the 2027 elections continue, Adisa urged an approach that combines clear regulation with meaningful engagement—one that protects responsible political expression while strengthening public confidence in campaign communication.