By Kunle Sanni –
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has condemned the circulation of unapproved and offensive advertisements by Bokku Supermarket on social media platforms, describing them as unlawful and harmful to national unity.
In a statement signed by its Director-General, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, ARCON said the advertisements in question contained ethnic and sectional prejudices, denigrating a section of the Nigerian population and bringing them into public ridicule.
The agency noted that such content violates the federal government’s policy on national unity and peaceful coexistence.
ARCON disclosed that the Bokku Supermarket adverts were neither submitted to nor approved by the Advertising Standards Panel, as required by Nigerian advertising laws. The regulatory body vowed to take necessary legal action against the supermarket, platform owners, advertisers, and agencies involved in publishing unapproved materials.
A special monitoring and enforcement task force, ARCON said, has been mandated to track and address all unapproved advertisements exposed to the Nigerian market.
The Council also appealed to Nigerians to report unethical, deceptive, or illegal advertisements, commending those who already support its efforts to sanitize the advertising space.
“As gatekeepers, we will continue to work towards building a more decent and consumer-protective advertising environment in Nigeria,” the statement read.
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