The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria has banned the production of indigenous advertisements in foreign countries, stating that such practice reduces unemployment and harms the national economy.

ARCON Director-General, Olalekan Fadolapo, in a press statement on Monday, said advertisers must stop capital flight and development of other countries’ economies by going out of the country to produce adverts meant for the Nigerian market.

The statement partly read, “All commercials to be exposed to Nigerians should be produced in Nigeria. Create jobs for our youths, help grow and develop the support service sector of the industry and circulate the money within the Nigerian advertising ecosystem.“

Fadolapo also reiterated the agency’s ban on using foreigners to voice or model adverts exposed to the Nigerian market, stating that Nigerians should be considered primary in advertisements targeted at the Nigerian market.

He said, “Nigerians should be considered as primary in advertisement targeted at the Nigerian market. The use of foreign models and voices is banned except where it is inevitable. If you are selling your product to Nigerians, use Nigerians in your communication elements.”

ARCON also lamented the violation of the industry’s credit policy by some of the agencies, noting that their actions have led to industry debt and exploitation of media owners.

“Globally, the payment threshold is a policy in the advertising industry. Advertisers Association of Nigeria members have been offering Nigerian businesses a 120-day payment circle, thereby impoverishing the Nigerian advertising industry. These same advertisers prepay foreign media houses operating in Nigeria for media services,” it said.