The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has been granted leave by a Federal High Court in Abuja to serve a writ of summons on Meta, the parent company of Facebook, over allegations of violation of Nigeria’s advertising laws. ARCON is seeking N30 billion in fines and sanctions for the violations and infractions of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022.
According to reports, ARCON has accused Meta of publishing various advertisements and marketing communications materials on its social media platforms – including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp – targeted at Nigeria without prior vetting and approval by its advertising standards panel, disregarding Nigerian culture, constitutional tenets, moral values, and religious sensitivity of citizens.
Meta and AT3 Resources Limited, a co-defendant, are now facing a pending N30 billion lawsuit for allegedly breaking the country’s advertising laws. The writ will be served at the Meta corporate headquarters.
ARCON’s mandate is to regulate the practice of advertising in Nigeria, with the goal of ensuring that advertisements and promotional communications in the country are legal, decent, honest, and truthful. Its role is to monitor and supervise advertising and promotion across all media in Nigeria.
The court’s decision is a significant development in the ongoing battle between the Nigerian government and social media platforms over content regulation and the spread of misinformation. As the case unfolds, it will be interesting to see how the court interprets ARCON’s claims and the potential ramifications for social media companies operating in Nigeria.
