Nigeria made history this week by becoming the first nation to ban foreign models and voiceover artists from advertisements in the country.
Nigerian advertisements have historically been voiced by white actors–predominantly by actors with British accents. The upcoming sweeping ban includes white and other non-Nigerian models and foreign voiceover artists and goes into effect in October.
“People will tell you, ‘There are about 200 million of us. Are you telling me you could not find indigenous models for this commercial?” Steve Babaeko, president of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, said per The Times.
“All advertisements, advertising and marketing communications materials are to make use of only Nigerian models and voiceover artists,” the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria said in a statement.
Ads featuring foreign models and voiceover artists that have already been approved will still run. New ads will be rejected.
“We say this is a welcome development. It’s enabling regulation that favors the local industry, especially at a time Nigeria is in dire need of sufficient platforms for its teeming youth population,” Segun Arnize, the president of the Association of Voice-Over Artistes Nigeria, said of the ban in a statement.
Companies currently have to pay a fee of 100,000 naira, which equals 240 American dollars, for employing any model that is not originally from the country for its advertisements.
The response to the Oct. 1 ban has been well received.
“The only people that’s complaining about this is “them folks”. Other Africans haven’t said a word about it. Maybe all African nations should follow this model. It’s a form of gatekeeping their culture. Just like we’re starting to do in our culture,” the African Diaspora News Channel tweeted.
Another Twitter user wrote, “People can say what they want but this is a good thing. Young Nigerians should have the luxury of seeing their own people on television and in Ads across their country.”
Some social media users are now calling for other African countries to follow suit.
