The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has been given permission by the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to send Facebook’s owner Meta with a summons.
The court approved the request after receiving an application from ARCON in an ongoing N30 billion lawsuit against the social media juggernaut for breaking Nigeria’s current advertising rules.
The writ is to be served at the Meta corporate headquarters, which also controls the social media networks Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.
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The second defendant in the lawsuit is AT3 Resources Limited, with Meta as the first defendant. ARCON is asking for a ruling that it is unlawful to post different advertisements and marketing (communications materials with Nigerian audiences on Meta’s platforms without first having them reviewed and approved by its advertising standards panel.
The regulatory authority asserted that the act ignored Nigerian culture, constitutional principles, moral principles, and citizens’ religious sensibilities.In accordance with the country’s advertising legislation, ARCON is consequently requesting an order of permanent injunction prohibiting the defendants, their privies, agents, servants, and affiliates from publishing any advertising or marketing communications materials.
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022 continues to be violated, and the organization is also asking for penalties and sanctions totaling N30 billion.
