Social media adverts now cost more, as ARCON introduces new vetting rates
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Nigerians place adverts on social media now pay between N7,500 and N100,000 extra costs based on new vetting rates introduced by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON).
ARCON had earlier mandated social media influencers and bloggers, among others, to seek its approval before advertising any product or service online.
The regulator disclosed in the new rates that a normal vetting for a social media advert costs N7,500 and takes seven days to complete but the process can be accelerated in two days at a cost of N70,000 or in one day with N100,000 payment.
A memo sent to ARCON regional directors, zonal directors, and liaison heads said the implementation of the rates took effect on May 9.
ARCON in a public notice issued in December 2022 mandated skit makers, social media influencers, and bloggers, among others, to seek its approval before advertising any product or service online.
It explained this is in line with the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and the ARCON Act No. 23 of 2022.
Anyone who violates the Act will be sanctioned and prosecuted in court, it warned.
ARCON explained that enforcing compliance with the Act became imperative as it had received complaints from digital/online media platforms about advertisements, advertising, and marketing communications activities of skit makers, comedians, influencers, content creators/producers, bloggers, vloggers, et cetera.
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Unethical, unverified advert claims
“Most of the advertisements exposed by this group are not only unethical with unverified claims and misinformation, but also in violation of the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice,” ARCON Director General Olalekan Fadolapo explained in the notice, per Nairametrics.
“By this public notice, brand owners, digital agencies, secondary digital media space owners (i.e. bloggers, vloggers, influencers, comedians, skit makers, etc), and other advertising stakeholders in the digital online media space are advised to obtain pre-exposure approval of all advertisements, advertising, and marketing communications in accordance with the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and the ARCON Act No. 23 of 2022.
“ARCON will take all necessary actions including sanctions and prosecution of violators of the provisions of the Act to ensure compliance.”
ARCON in October 2022 instituted a lawsuit against Meta incorporated, owners of Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and its agent AT3 Resources Limited, at the Abuja Federal High Court, alleging unvetted adverts on the platforms cause revenue loss to the federal government.