The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) says it is probing a petition against 9Mobile, one of Nigeria’s big four telecommunications firms, over an alleged unpaid advertising debt of N1 billion.
In a statement on Friday, the ARCON said the petition was filed by advertising agencies claiming that the Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited — trading as 9mobile — failed to settle payments for services rendered and has continued to engage new agencies without resolving existing obligations.
The regulator described the alleged conduct as a potential violation of the Nigerian advertising code, warning that it could have wider repercussions across the industry.
“It was also alleged that while 9mobile refused to pay or resolve its indebtedness to the agencies, it has gone ahead to brief other agencies to continue its advertising and advertisement business with impunity,” the statement reads.
The ARCON said it would investigate whether 9mobile followed disengagement protocols when transitioning from the owed agencies to new ones and whether there were possible breaches of ethical procedures.
“Advertising debts are beyond agencies,” ARCON added.
“They belong mostly to media houses and third-party vendors/suppliers who are significantly affected by the indebtedness, with multiplier effects on their cash flow and operations.”
The council said it would partner with anti-graft and government agencies to ensure a full investigation and the debt’s resolution — stressing that the borders on economic sabotage.
The ARCON reiterated that the Nigerian advertising industry’s official payment threshold remains 45 days and promised to clamp down on practices that encourage unethical competition and unfair advantage.
“The council will take all necessary actions to eradicate unethical competition and ensure compliance with the Advertising Industry Standard of Practice (AISOP), including adherence to the 45-day credit policy,” it said.
9mobile is a member of the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), whose members are expected to comply with advertising regulations and contractual obligations within the ecosystem.
At the time of filing this report, 9mobile had not issued an official response to the allegations.
On March 22, 9Mobile dismissed rumours suggesting an impending shutdown of its operations in Nigeria.
