ARCON partners NBA to hold town hall meeting on advertising laws October 14

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) is partnering with the Nigerian Bar Association’s Lawyers in the Media Forum (NBA-LIM) to hold a town hall meeting aimed at deepening understanding of Nigeria’s advertising regulatory framework.
The event, with the theme “The Nigerian Advertising Law: The Role of the Advertising Offences Tribunal (AOT)”, will be held on Tuesday, October 14, at Sheba Events Center, Lagos.
In a statement by ARCON, the event will bring together legal experts, advertising practitioners, industry stakeholders, and the public to discuss the implementation and enforcement of advertising laws in Nigeria.
Akinlolu Kehinde, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), will deliver the keynote address and highlight the role of the advertising offenses tribunal in regulating the industry.
A panel discussion featuring notable figures such as Olalekan Fadolapo, ARCON’s director-general; Afam Osigwe, NBA president; Charles Odenigbo of the Centre for Media Law and Development, and Lanre Adisa, chairman of the heads of Advertising sectoral groups (HASG), will follow.
Speaking ahead of the event, the ARCON DG said the regulatory council is committed to continuous stakeholder engagement and legal alignment to foster a responsible and globally competitive advertising sector.
“Our engagement with stakeholders is not episodic but a deliberate, continuous exercise grounded in our vision to build a responsible and globally competitive advertising industry in Nigeria,” Fadolapo said.
“This town-hall Meeting is part of our broader effort to institutionalize dialogue, transparency, and compliance across the entire advertising value chain.
He said the advertising offenses tribunal is a tool for accountability and fairness, adding that the collaboration with the NBA underscores ARCON’s dedication to enforcing advertising laws with due process and international best practices.
“We are creating a regulatory environment that balances creativity with compliance. The advertising offences tribunal remains a crucial instrument for ensuring accountability, deterrence, and fairness,” he added.
“As we continue to strengthen our institutional frameworks, we remain focused on promoting professionalism, protecting consumer rights, and upholding the integrity of the advertising profession.”

He added that the flamboyant tree, native to Madagascar and widely rooted across the Caribbean and Africa, was chosen for the ceremony due to its vibrant red blooms and symbolic resonance of vitality, peace, and growth.

George Elombi, the newly appointed Afreximbank president, emphasised the need for conviction and decisive action, noting that finance is the lifeline of trade.