Court grants ARCON leave to summon Meta in N30bn suit over ‘violation of advert laws’

A federal high court sitting in Abuja has granted leave to the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to serve a writ of summons on Meta Platforms Incorporated, owners of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp platforms.

The court granted the application in ARCON’s N30 billion suit pending against the company.

The order allows the writ to be served at Meta’s corporate headquarters in the United States.

In October 2022, ARCON sued Meta and its agent, AT3 Resources Limited,  for showing unapproved advertisements to the Nigerian audience.

The regulatory body is seeking a declaration “that the continued publication and exposure of various advertisements directed at the Nigerian market through Facebook and Instagram platforms by Meta Platforms Incorporated without ensuring same are vetted and approved before exposure is illegal, unlawful and a violation of the extant advertising law in Nigeria”.

The agency said the continued exposure of the “unvetted” adverts has led to a “loss of revenue to the federal government”.

The advertising council is seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their privies, agents, servants and associates from publishing any advertising or marketing communications materials without recourse to ARCON in line with the country’s advertising law.

ARCON is also seeking a N30 billion sanction for the continued violation of Nigeria’s advertising laws and for loss of revenue.