Why advertisers are appealing directly to the Presidency after ARCON scores abysmal 3% in a Federal Government performance report
Your Excellency, Mr. President,
We write first to commend and appreciate your continued efforts to stabilise Nigeria’s economy, reform public institutions and improve the ease of doing business.
It is in support of these national objectives that we respectfully bring to your attention the deepening crisis in Nigeria’s advertising and creative industry under the current regulatory environment.
Since 2019, advertisers have consistently raised concerns with relevant authorities about the operations of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON).
These engagements have been sustained, formal and good-faith attempts to resolve growing problems of arbitrary regulation, unclear processes and enforcement practices that increasingly undermine business confidence.
Matters worsened in 2022 with the introduction of the Advertising Industry Standard of Practice (AISOP), which essentially sought to regulate private entity contractual agreements, this only instigated a reduction of advertising activities and spend, rather than fostering balance, innovation or growth.
Your Excellency, the impact is now visible and measurable. Advertising spend has dropped sharply as brands reduce or cancel campaigns. Some companies have exited the Nigerian market, while others are reconsidering future investments. This contraction has reduced activity across media, creative services and allied sectors, with direct implications for employment and government revenue.
The Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), the only umbrella body for advertisers in Nigeria and a member of the World Federation of Advertisers, represents brand owners controlling over 90 percent of Nigeria’s annual marketing spend, estimated at more than ₦800 billion. On behalf of its members; multinationals, large indigenous companies and 0ver 39 million MSMEs in Nigeria, ADVAN has repeatedly engaged relevant institutions to highlight serious regulatory concerns.
These concerns include:
-The absence of a council as stipulated in the ARCON law, to oversee the activities of the body,
-The unconstitutionality of ARCON’s tribunal, which combines the roles of regulator, prosecutor and judge;
– The imposition of arbitrary vetting and promotional fees;
-The lack of a clear standard of processes of ARCON on its website or any online platform
-The exclusion of advertisers, who are the main investors of advertising, from key policy discussions; threats of arrest and personal liability for company executives;
-The interference in private commercial contracts;
-Persistent approval delays even after payment for fast-track services;
-The inconsistent vetting decisions; and creative restrictions that weaken effective brand communication in competitive markets.
Collectively, these practices have created uncertainty, deterred investment and eroded trust in Nigeria’s regulatory environment; outcomes that run contrary to your administration’s economic reform and business-friendly agenda.
Your Excellency, recent Federal Government performance data has now independently validated these long-standing industry concerns. The 2025 Business Facilitation Act (BFA) Performance Report, which assesses business-facing ministries, departments and agencies on efficiency, transparency, timeliness, complaint resolution and service delivery, ranked ARCON last out of 69 agencies, with a score of just 3.0 percent ;the lowest on the national scorecard.
Several agencies scored above 80 and 90 percent under the same framework, demonstrating that effective service delivery is achievable within government.
A 3.0 percent score, therefore, reflects not marginal underperformance but a fundamental institutional failure.
A regulator that performs so poorly on basic governance and service standards cannot credibly oversee a multi-billion-naira industry that shapes consumer behaviour, supports jobs and projects Nigeria’s image to the world.
Your Excellency, this is why we now appeal directly to you. The industry is not asking for the absence of regulation, but for fair, transparent and predictable regulation that encourages growth while protecting consumers.
We respectfully pray for decisive intervention:
-An independent audit of ARCON’s governance and operations;
-The setup of the ARCON council with a board composition to reflect key industry stakeholders;
-The establishment of clear and enforceable service standards with consequences for failure; and a commitment to transparency, consultation and accountability.
The industry has engaged responsibly. The data has spoken clearly. What remains is leadership intervention.
We submit this appeal in the national interest; to protect Nigeria’s reputation, its creative economy and the confidence of investors who believe in this country’s potential.
We once once again salute your commitment to a viable Nigeria.
Thank you Sir
Signed: Board of Trustees, Advertisers Association of Nigeria
