The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has issued a forceful rebuttal to the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), accusing the group of orchestrating a campaign of misinformation and manipulation aimed at derailing ongoing reforms in the country’s advertising sector. In a statement dated 23 February and signed by its Director-General, Olalekan Fadolapo, ARCON described ADVAN’s recent open letter to President Bola Tinubu as a calculated attempt to halt reforms tied to the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy and new payment directives within the industry. The regulator rejected what it called “every major claim” in the letter, including allegations that ARCON’s policies have led to declining media spend, investor exits, and overregulation of the sector. ARCON n...