On 30th April 2025, the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos and presided over by Honourable Justice Akintayo Aluko,delivered a landmark judgment in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1262/2024 between Digi Bay Limited (Trading under the Name and Style of Betway Nigeria) & Ors v. Attorney General of the Federation & ARCON, marking a significant turning point in Nigeria’s advertising regulatory landscape. The plaintiffs sought clarification on ARCON’s regulatory reach, particularly concerning digital advertising and individuals not registered as advertising practitioners. The Court affirmed the statutory powers of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to regulate all forms of advertising across various platforms, whether traditional or digital.
The ruling, therefore, reinforces ARCON’s authority as the apex regulatory body for advertising, advertising agencies, and marketing communications, including content directed at Nigerian audiences by foreign entities. For international brands and multinationals, this judgment creates new dimensions of compliance, particularly with respect to registration, prior vetting, and legal exposure under ARCON’s expanded regulatory reach.