The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria has announced its change of name to the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria.

This is as the council also banned the use of foreign models and voice-over artists on Nigerian advertising media.

The Director General, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, made this known in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Monday.

The statement was titled, ‘Ban On The Use Of Foreign Models And Voice—over Artists On The Nigerian Advertising Medium/Media.’

IT READ, “IN LINE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S POLICY OF DEVELOPING LOCAL TALENT, INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND THE NEED TO TAKE NECESSARY STEPS AND ACTIONS AIMED AT GROWING THE NIGERIAN ADVERTISING INDUSTRY, THE ADVERTISING REGULATORY COUNCIL OF NIGERIA, 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 USED ON THE NIGERIAN ADVERTISING SPACE WITH EFFECT FROM IST OCTOBER 2022.

“ALL ADVERTISEMENTS, ADVERTISING AND MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS ARE TO MAKE USE OF ONLY NIGERIAN MODELS AND VOICE-OVER ARTISTS.

“ONGOING CAMPAIGNS ARE PERMITTED TO RUN OUT THEIR TERMS. HOWEVER, SUBSEQUENT APPLICATIONS FOR REVALIDATION FOR CONTINUED EXPOSURE OF SUCH MATERIALS WILL NOT BE GRANTED BY THE ADVERTISING STANDARDS PANEL.

“ADVERTISERS, ADVERTISEMENT AGENCIES, MEDIA HOUSES, ADVERTISING COMMUNITY AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ARE HEREBY ENJOINED TO TAKE NOTE.”