The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has banned the use of foreign voice-over artists and models from Saturday, October 1.
Olalekan Fadolapo, the director general of ARCON, stated in a statement that the restriction is consistent with the Federal Government’s aim to foster homegrown talent and broad-based economic growth across all industries, including advertising.
“ARCON, being the apex advertising, advertisement and marketing communications’ regulatory agency of the Federal Government, has in accordance with its statutory mandates, responsibilities and powers as conveyed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022 bans the use of foreign models and voice-over artists on any advertisement targeted of exposed on the Nigerian advertising space with effect from Ist October 2022,” Fadolapo said.
The director-general further stated that only Nigerian artists and models should be used in all commercials and marketing communications materials.
He clarified that ongoing advertising and marketing initiatives may continue until the end of their allotted time before the prohibition will be put into effect.
“However, subsequent applications for revalidation for continued exposure of such materials will not be granted by the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP),”
According to Fadolapo, ARCON requested the public, media outlets, advertising communities, advertisers, and advertising agencies to be aware of the restriction.
Reacting to the Ban, Obiajulu Olabisi Ugboh said, “If foreign models attract your buyers you are in the wrong country because in that country your local models don’t attract their buyers so it’s about sticking to what originally is ours, standing with what originally is ours and I know that when it comes to languages, children are build by their mother tongue, cartoons and what they are exposed to as a growing child.
In the Nigerian language, we cannot say everyone’s English should sound a particular way because we have different dialects. What is natural to you based on your location is your own Nigeria Language.
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