Claim of N3m Advert Vetting Fee False — ARCON

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, ARCON, has debunked a claim that it was charging N3 million as advert vetting fee.

A statement by Head, Corporate Affairs of ARCON, Winifred Akpan, sent to Vanguard, described such reports as false, malicious and a misrepresentation of the vetting fee process.

Akpan, who stated that the vetting fee was N35,000, not N3 million, also noted that deterrent fee was not required for an advert produced in Nigeria.

The statement further disclosed that information about vetting fees and associated rates were available at the ASP secretariat and the organisation’s offices nationwide.

It reads: “The attention of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, ARCON, has been drawn to a recent published interview in a national daily headlined: “Advertisers protest ARCON’S N3 million Advert vetting fee.”

“The publication is false, malicious and a misrepresentation of the vetting fee process. This is one of the many interviews of the President of Advertisers Association of Nigeria, ADVAN, Mr. Osamede Uwubanmwen, in which he misrepresented the fact, misinformed the public and maliciously maligned the reputation of ARCON as an insensitive and anti-industry development agency.

“Vetting fee is N35,000 and not N3 million as headlined and published in the national daily. There is a deterrent fee of N3 million for organizations that produce their advertisements outside Nigeria. This is not a vetting fee, it is part of ARCON’s efforts aimed at encouraging the use of local talents and production of advertisement in Nigeria as part of our industry development and growth programme.

“Where an advertisement is produced in Nigeria, no deterrent fee is required for such advertisement. Organisations are enjoined to embrace the use of local talents and production of all advertisement, advertising and marketing communication directed or targeted at the Nigerian market in Nigeria. Information about vetting fees and associated rates are available at the ASP secretariat and our offices nationwide,” the rebuttal concluded.