Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has advised the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to improve on innovation, local content and job creation to boost the country’s economy.
The minister made the call when he visited the Council on a familiarization tour yesterday in Abuja.
Idris said, the visit is a continuation of his tour to all agencies under his ministry with a view to helping and enhancing their operations.
He added that the ARCON Act had been fully taken care of by the government, saying that the council was fully covered legally.
The minister explained that ARCON had the pivotal responsibility of regulating advertising practices and ensuring that practitioners adhered to the highest standard.
He affirmed advertising is not only business but a way of engaging the nation, promoting its cultures and values to reflect its diversity.
“It also provides direct and indirect jobs for our people, especially on local content.
“This is because, whatever we do, we have to see that jobs for our youths are protected and the economy also goes with that.
“I am committed to closely working with ARCON to promote innovation, because it is the key to remain relevant, especially in this age and time. I am happy with the innovation I am already seeing here.”
Idris therefore, urged the council to continue to evolve, saying ”If you stay in one place, then you become obsolete and everyone will forget about you.
”Our collective goal is to ensure that every sector in Nigeria, not only meets the international standard, but also serves as a catalyst for national development.
“ I encourage you to promote local content which you have mentioned earlier,” the minister asserted..
He said it was regrettable that so many jobs were being lost to other countries, noting that, ”in spite of our rich capacity which is the pride of Africa, we are still losing jobs to other countries.”
He said that Nigeria would not afford to continue to have unnecessary capital flight out of the country when its population was growing, with so many capable young people looking out for jobs.
