Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Takes Meta Platforms to Court Over Unvetted Ads

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) is poised to challenge Meta Platforms Incorporated, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, along with its agent AT3 Resources Limited.

ARCON is seeking a N30 billion lawsuit, alleging that Meta’s continuous dissemination of unvetted advertisements in the Nigerian market is not only illegal but also detrimental to Nigeria’s revenue.

Director-General of ARCON, Olalekan Fadolapo, stated that the suit aims to secure a declaration that Meta Platforms Incorporated’s advertising practices in Nigeria, without proper vetting and approval, are a violation of existing advertising laws.

This move comes as ARCON claims that Meta’s actions have caused substantial revenue losses to the Federal Government.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted ARCON permission to serve a writ of summons to Meta at its United States corporate headquarters. This decision followed Meta’s assertion that it lacks a physical office in Nigeria.

Fadolapo said, “We are not concerned about their office; we are concerned about the business they are doing in Nigeria. If you are doing business in Nigeria, you are supposed to abide by Nigerian laws.”

He added, “What they are showing to the Nigerian audience…is indecent. We will not regulate the media in the US, but what we will do is regulate the media space here in Nigeria.”

As the case heads to court, it raises significant questions about the regulatory power of Nigerian authorities over foreign digital giants and the broader issue of accountability in the digital advertising realm.