Nigeria bans foreign models and voiceover artists from advert – this the first country to do so – it is bid to develop local talent, potentially more work for local people.
This will start from October, which mean adverts in the African nation will no longer feature white models and British accents.
This ban could see more commercials being shot locally, it comes at a time when both multinational companies selling products in Nigeria and local brands featured white models.
Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria president Steve Babaeko said Britons accounted for about half of models and voiceover artists in Nigerian commercials a couple of decades ago.
The decision is motivated by a sense of nationalism is taking over sentiment in the country of 218 million people. He said there was “some kind of renaissance in Nigeria” with a “new sense of pride emerging” amongst young people.
With projects shot abroad or with foreign models being met with backlash, he believes the ban would reflected the underlying national sentiment.
“People will tell you, ‘There are about 200 million of us. Are you telling me you could not find indigenous models for this commercial?’” Babaeko told The Time
TV presenter Bolanle Olukanni said the industry has already become indigenous with Nigerian adverts rarely featuring white models these days, although many were shot in other countries such as Kenya and South Africa. Olalekan Fadolapo, said there had been a de facto ban on foreign models in Africa.
He believe adverts with foreign models could not resonate with local people. It is a powerful move as it will give more work for local people which brands should support if they want to market to this country of 218 housing an influential part of the worlds young demographic.
