The Federal Government has recovered more than N3 billion in debts owed media organisations and declared an end to the era of unpaid adverts, as it moves to strengthen accountability in Nigeria’s advertising industry.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the inauguration of a five-member Advertising Offences Tribunal (AOT), describing the development as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the sector and protect the interests of stakeholders.

Idris said the government would no longer tolerate situations where adverts were placed in media organisations without payment, noting that unpaid advertising debts could undermine the operations of media houses and threaten the livelihoods of workers in the sector.

“The era of anybody going to place adverts and then refusing to pay media organisations, that era is now behind us,” the minister said.

He stressed that the tribunal was not established as a punitive body but as a mechanism to promote order, fairness and accountability within the advertising ecosystem.

According to him, advertisers must pay for adverts placed in newspapers, television, radio and other media platforms, while Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria(ARCON) must also ensure that advertising content is responsible, pro-development and in the best interest of Nigerians.

Idris said the advertising industry was a major employer and source of livelihood, adding that its reform would benefit media organisations, advertisers, practitioners and consumers.

He urged stakeholders to support ARCON and the tribunal, describing the newly appointed members as distinguished professionals capable of discharging their responsibilities with integrity.

The five-member tribunal is chaired by Justice Cecilia M. A. Olatoregun (Emeritus), with Musa Ahmed Attah, SAN; Merga Tyowanan Kachina, Esq.; Dr Ken Onyeali Ikpe; and Hajia Sa’a Ibrahim as members.

The tribunal was established under Section 37 of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act, 2022, as a specialised judicial body for adjudicating offences arising from advertising and marketing communications.

Its jurisdiction covers offences under the ARCON Act, the Code of Advertising Practice, Standards of Practice and other relevant enactments, including advertising without required approval, misleading advertising claims and unlawful comparative advertising.

Idris said the tribunal would ensure that advertising regulations were effectively enforced, helping to protect consumers, promote fair competition and strengthen professionalism in the sector.

He urged the chairman and members to discharge their duties with independence and fairness, saying every case should be considered on its merits.

“Every matter that comes before you should be considered on its merits, without fear or favour, affection or ill will,” he said.

The Minister added that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, would continue to support ARCON and legitimate efforts to make the sector more professional, responsible and globally competitive.

Earlier, the Director-General of ARCON, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, said the council had recovered more than N3 billion in debts owed to media organisations over the past year.

Fadolapo said the debts had previously been regarded as bad debts but were recovered through the regulatory and enforcement framework put in place to improve compliance.

He said the recovery was significant because advertising revenue remained critical to the survival and operations of many media organisations.

The ARCON director-general also disclosed that the council had intensified efforts to promote local content and Nigerian talent in advertising and marketing communications targeted at the domestic market.

He said the policy had increased demand for Nigerian photographers, models, voice-over artists and other professionals across the advertising value chain, creating more opportunities for local practitioners.

Fadolapo added that ARCON was strengthening regulation of digital advertising to protect Nigerians from misleading advertisements, scams and other abuses as e-commerce and the digital economy expanded.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Olatoregun, pledged that the new panel would uphold integrity, fairness, transparency and justice in handling cases brought before it.

She said the first panel, which commenced sitting in November 2023, adjudicated more than 365 cases before its three-year tenure expired in May 2026.

Olatoregun said the tribunal had also conducted stakeholder engagements, town hall meetings, seminars and retreats to improve understanding of advertising laws and its procedures.

She stressed that the tribunal was created to sanitise the industry and provide a dedicated forum for enforcement, rather than as a “power play”.

The new panel, she said, would build on the achievements of its predecessor and contribute to a more responsible, credible and well-regulated advertising industry.