Nigeria is making history!
As reported in Madame Noire, Nigeria is the first country to ban non-Nigerian models from starring in Nigerian commercials. The outlet says the Advertising Regulatory Council Of Nigeria (ARCON) said the shift aims to grow the Nigerian advertising industry. The statement says,
“All advertisements, advertising, and marketing communications materials targeted or exposed on the Nigerian advertising space are to use only Nigerian models and voice-over artists. Advertisers, advertisement agencies, media houses, the advertising community, and the general public are hereby enjoined to take note.”
President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, Steve Babaeko, said Nigerians haven’t been the ones representing the culture in their country. He said told The London Times,
“Ten to 20 years ago, if you checked the commercials, I would say they were almost 50/50 in terms of foreign faces, and all the voiceovers were British accents.” He continued, “People will tell you, ‘There are about 200 million of us. Are you telling me you could not find indigenous models for this commercial?’”
Segun Arinze, veteran actor and President of the Association of Voice-Over Artistes (AVOA) is in high favor of the move and said it was “an enabling regulation that [favors] the local industry, especially at a time when Nigeria is in dire need of sufficient platforms for its teeming youth population.”
Ban on the use of Foreign Models and Voice-Over Artists on the Nigerian Advertising Medium/Media pic.twitter.com/5pICTqOUt1
— Fed Min of Info & Nat’l Orien (@FMINONigeria) August 23, 2022
The change will go into effect October 2022. Some social media reactions:
“That’s a good one.”
https://twitter.com/bigcat_chimezie/status/1562033944807280640?s=21&t=M3GgzL2A1Px4wv4u1N3QOQ
“This is wrong in a short term and on a long run.
The effect will affect Nigerians negatively than we will intend to benefit from it( i doubt if there’s any).
Nigeria has lost the morale right to cry agaisnt any form of “phobia” from any Nation.
There should be free market.”
This is wrong in a short term and on a long run.
The effect will affect Nigerians negatively than we will intend to benefit from it( i doubt if there's any).
Nigeria has lost the morale right to cry agaisnt any form of "phobia" from any Nation.
There should be free market.— N.O Maximus (@realmaximus1) August 24, 2022
“How about we first carve a space for local talents to grow and when they’re at par with their international counterparts, we would not need to ban anymore?!
Continued isolation will harm us in long and short terms. If we agree that exporting helps us grow, why then do we ban?”
How about we first carve a space for local talents to grow and when they’re at par with their international counterparts, we would not need to ban anymore?!
Continued isolation will harm us in long and short terms. If we agree that exporting helps us grow, why then do we ban?
— Wale Fash (@fasakinolawale) August 24, 2022
How do you feel about the ban? Do you think its a good move, hit us up on social media.