As part of its commitment to strengthening the role and mandate of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, the Federal Government has inaugurated a 6 member team to serve as members of the Advertising Offences Tribunal.
The Advertising Offences Tribunal is expected to entertain all matters of violations of the provisions of the Act, the Code of Advertising Practice, Standard of Practice, and other subsidiary legislations made pursuant to the Act establishing the Regulatory Council.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed While inaugurating members of the tribunal said the federal government is interested in boosting the role and mandate of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) for effective regulation of advertising, advertisement, and marketing communication.
He noted that this was a landmark achievement, as it is the first of its kind ever recorded anywhere in the world.
He said that the inauguration is built on the awareness that the Nigerian advertising industry holds enormous potential to influence the nation’s economic growth.
The tribunal as empowered by the Act will protect consumers from illegal, untruthful, dishonest, indecent, and distasteful advertising.
The minister noted that the regulatory body has the capacity to foster business growth, create employment, and change social, cultural, and economic activities.
ARCON was established, among other things, to protect consumers from illegal, untruthful, dishonest, indecent, and distasteful advertising, advertisements, and marketing communication directed at or targeting the Nigerian market, the minister noted.