Nigerians and advertising sector businesses now have a dedicated forum for resolving regulatory breaches following the inauguration of the five-member Advertising Offences Tribunal (AOT).
Inaugurating the tribunal in Abuja on Tuesday, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the panel was part of efforts to strengthen regulation, professionalism and integrity in Nigeria’s advertising and marketing communications industry.
PersecondNews correspondent at the inauguration reports that the Minister emphasized, the tribunal became necessary because advertising rules must have an effective enforcement mechanism capable of addressing violations within the rapidly evolving industry.
“The establishment of the tribunal reflects a clear legislative intention that offences within the advertising ecosystem should be addressed through a specialised mechanism capable of delivering justice efficiently, fairly and without unnecessary delay,” he said.
Idris said the tribunal would operate within the expanded regulatory framework created by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act 2022, which strengthened ARCON’s powers.
“Section 23 of the Act provides for prosecution of offences, while Section 37(1) establishes the Advertising Offences Tribunal to adjudicate offences under the Act, advertising codes, standards and other relevant enactments.
“The tribunal must be and must be seen to be a fair and impartial institution. Every matter that comes before you should be considered on its merits, without fear or favour, affection or ill will,” Idris said.
“This is essential for protecting consumers, promoting fair competition, strengthening professional standards, and maintaining public confidence in the industry.”
He further turned attention to the relationship between advertisers and media organisations, saying stronger regulation should help address practices that undermine the financial sustainability of media businesses.
“Going to place adverts and then refusing to pay media organisations, that era is now behind us. This is a new era for all of us, and we need to take advantage of it.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Director-General of ARCON, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, said the regulator had already recorded progress in recovering outstanding payments owed to media organisations.
“In the last one year, ARCON, as a regulatory body, has been able to resolve over three billion naira in media debt, allowing media houses to receive payments that had previously remained outstanding.”
Fadolapo said the expansion of advertising into digital platforms had also created new risks for consumers, making stronger regulation increasingly important.
“We need a stronger regulatory framework to ensure that Nigerians who are vulnerable to fake advertising and scammers are protected within the law, and that these abuses and violations are restricted to the barest minimum.”
While commending President Tinubu and the minister for the appointment, Chairman of the Advertising Offences Tribunal, Justice Cecilia M.A. Olateru-Olagbegi, said the new panel would build on the work of its predecessor, which handled hundreds of cases during its tenure.
“The first tribunal commenced sitting in November 2023, and we adjudicated over 365 cases. Since its establishment, the AOT has played an important role in bringing order, accountability, fairness and justice to Nigeria’s advertising space,” she said.
According to her, the tribunal had also used stakeholder engagement to improve understanding of advertising laws and encourage greater compliance across the industry.
“We have held town hall meetings, retreats and seminars to get stakeholders to understand exactly what the AOT is doing. It is not just a power play; it is to sanitise the industry.”
The five-member panel was constituted after the expiration of the first tribunal’s three-year tenure in May 2026, with members drawn from the judiciary, legal practice, advertising, broadcasting and marketing communications.
The Federal Government said the new tribunal would strengthen enforcement, protect consumers and media organisations, and promote greater accountability and professionalism across Nigeria’s expanding advertising industry.