ADVERTISING PRACTITIONERS (REGISTRATION, ETC.) ACT, 1988

There is hereby established for advertising practitioners a body to be known as the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (in this Act referred to as "the Council") which shall be charged with the general duty of-(a) determining who are advertising practitioners;
(b) determining what standards of knowledge and skill are to be attained by persons seeking to become registered as members of the advertising profession and reviewing those standards from time to time;
(c) securing in accordance with the provisions of this Act, the establishment and maintenance of a register of persons entitled to practise as advertising practitioners and the publication, from time to time, of lists of those persons;
(d) regulating and controlling the practice of advertising subject to the approval of the Minister of Health, where the advertisement relates to matters of foods, cosmetics, beverages and drugs;
[1993 No. 116.]
(e) conducting examinations in the profession and awarding certificates or diplomas to successful candidates as and when appropriate and for such purpose the Council shall prescribe fees to be paid in respect thereof;
(f) performing the other functions conferred on the Council by this Act.

(1) The Council shall consist of-
(a) a chairman who shall be a distinguished fellow of the profession to be appointed by the President;
[1992 No. 93.]
(b) seven persons to be appointed by the Minister one of whom shall be from the Ministry and others from amongst other interests in the field of advertising which in the opinion of the Minister ought to be adequately represented;
(c) ten persons to be elected by the Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (in this Act referred to as "the Association") in the manner for the time being provided by its constitution; and
(d) two persons to represent institutions of higher learning in Nigeria offering courses leading to an approved qualification, to be appointed by the Minister in rotation, so however that the two persons shall not come from the same institution.
(2)
The provisions set out in the First Schedule to this Act shall have effect with respect to the qualification, tenure of office of members of the Council and the other matters therein mentioned.
[First Schedule.]

(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section and to any directions of the Minister under this Act, the Council shall have power to do anything which in its opinion is calculated to facilitate the carrying out of its functions under this Act.
(2) The Council shall not have power to borrow or dispose of any property except with the prior consent of the Minister and shall not have power to pay remuneration (including pensions), allowances or expenses to any employee of the Council or any other person except in accordance with scales approved by the Minister.

The Council may if it deems it fit bestow an honorary fellowship on any deserving person who has distinguished himself in his calling and whose contribution is such that it is in the interest of the Council to be associated with such person.
[1992 No. 93.]

(1) The Council shall establish and maintain a fund for the purposes of this Act.
(2) There shall-
(a) be paid into the fund of the Council-
(i) all fees and other moneys payable to the Council in pursuance of this Act;
(ii) such moneys as may be payable to the Council, whether in the course of the discharge of its functions or not; and
(b) be paid out of the fund of the Council-
(i) the remuneration and allowances of the Registrar and other employees of the Council;
(ii) such reasonable travelling and subsistence allowance of members of the Council in respect of the time spent on the business of the Council as the Council, may, with the approval of the Minister, determine; and
(iii) any other expenses incurred by the Council in the discharge of its functions under this Act.

(1) The Council shall prepare and submit to the Minister not later than the 30th day of September of each year (so however that the Minister may, if he considers it necessary, extend the period in the year in which this Act comes into force) an estimate of the income and expenditure of the Council during the next succeeding year.
(2) The Council shall keep proper accounts in respect of each year and proper records in relation to those accounts and shall cause the accounts to be audited within six months after the end of the year to which the accounts relate by auditors appointed from the list and in accordance with the guidelines supplied by the Auditor-General for the Federation.

The Minister may give to the Council directives of a general character or relating generally to particular matters but not to any individual person or case with regard to the exercise by the Council of its functions under this Act and it shall be the duty of the Council to comply with the directives.

(1) It shall be the duty of the Council to appoint a fit and proper person to be the Registrar for the purposes of this Act.
(2) The Registrar shall, in addition to his other functious under this Act, be the Secretary to the Council and shall, on the instructions of the Chairman of the Council, convene and keep minutes of the proceedings at all meetings of the Council and committees thereof, as the case may be.
(3) The Council may appoint such other persons to be employees of the Council as the Council may determine to assist the Registrar in the exercise of his functions under this Act.
(4) The Council may, whenever the Registrar is absent, or for any other reason is unable to discharge the functions of his office, appoint an acting Registrar to discharge his functions.
(5) The Registrar and other employees of the Council shall hold office on such terms and conditions as the Council may, with the approval of the Minister, determine.

(1) It shall be the duty of the Registrar to prepare and maintain, in accordance with rules made by the Council under this section, a register of the names, addresses, approved qualifications and of such other particulars as may be specified of all persons who are entitled in accordance with the provisions of this Act to be registered as fellows, full members, associates or students of the profession and who apply in the specified manner to be so registered.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Council shall make rules with respect to the form of keeping of the register and the making of entries therein, and in particular-
(a) regulating the making of applications for registration and providing for the evidence to be produced in support of applications;
(b) providing for the notification to the Registrar by the person to whom any registered particulars relate, of any change in those particulars;
(c) authorising a registered person to have any qualification which is, in relation to his profession, an approved qualification or an accepted qualification under section 12 (2) of this Act, registered in relation to his name in addition to or, as he may elect in substitution for any other qualifications so registered;
(d) specifying anything falling to be specified under the foregoing provisions of this section;
(e) specifying the fees to be paid to the Council in respect of the entry of names on the register and authorising the Registrar to refuse to enter a name on the register until any fees specified for entry has been paid.
(3) It shall be the duty of the Registrar-
(a) to correct, in accordance with the directions of the Council, any entry in the register which the Council directs him to correct as being in the opinion of the Council an entry which was incorrectly made;
(b) to make, from time to time, any necessary alterations to the registered particulars of registered persons;
(c) to remove from the register the name of any registered person who has died, has become insane or has committed an act of gross misconduct.
(4) lf the Registrar-
(a) should send by post to any registered person a registered letter addressed to him at his address on the register enquiring whether the registered particulars relating to him are correct and receives no reply to that letter within three months from the date of posting it; and
(b) upon the expiration of the period sends in like manner to the persons in question a second letter and receives no reply to that letter within three months from the date of posting,
the Registrar may remove the particulars relating to the person in question from the register but the Council may direct the Registrar to restore to the register any particulars removed therefrom under this subsection.

(1) It shall be the duty of the Registrar-
(a) to cause the register to be printed, published and put on sale to members of the public not later than two years from the beginning of the year in which this Act comes into force;
(b) in each year after that in which a register is first published under paragraph (a) of this subsection, to cause to be printed, published and put on sale as aforesaid either a corrected edition of the register or a list of alterations made to each register since it was last printed; and
(c) to cause a print of each edition of the register and of each list of corrections to be deposited at the principal office to the Council, and it shall be the duty of the Council to keep each register and lists so deposited open at all reasonable times for inspection by members of the public.
(2) A document purporting to be a print of an edition of a register published under this section by authority of the Registrar in the current year or documents purporting to be prints of an edition of a register so published in the current year, shall (without prejudice to any other mode of proof) be admissible in any proceedings as evidence that any person specified in the document, or the documents read together, as being registered is so registered and that any person not so specified is not so registered.

The register maintained under section 9 of this Act shall consist of three parts-(a) one part in respect of fellows;
(b) one part in respect of full members;
(c) one part in respect of associate members.

(1) A person shall be entitled to be registered as a student member of the profession and being so registered to receive a certificate of registration if he satisfies the Council that he is undergoing a course of studies recognised by the Council leading to a qualification in the profession in an institution approved by the Council.
(2) A person shall be entitled to be registered as an associate member of the profession and being so registered to receive a certificate of registration if-
(a) he holds a university degree or Higher National Diploma in mass communication or other professional qualification recognised by the Council and he is employed in a recognised organisation where he can acquire professional experience;
(b) he is of good character;
(c) he has not been convicted in Nigeria or elsewhere of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty; and
(d) he has attained the age of 21 years.
(3) A person shall be entitled to be registered as a full member of the profession and being so registered to receive a certificate of registration if-
(a) he fulfils the conditions for registration under subsection (2) of this section; and
(b)
he satisfies the Council that in the five years immediately preceding the date of his application, he has been in continuous active practice as an advertising practitioner either alone or in partnership with other advertising practitioners.
(4) A person shall be entitled to be registered as a fellow of the profession and being so registered to receive a certificate of registration if-
(a) he fulfils the conditions for registration under subsection (2) or (3) of this section; and
(b) he satisfies the Council that in the fifteen years immediately preceding the date of his application, he has been in continuous active practice with other advertising practitioners, and has in the opinion of the Council made significant contributions to the advertising profession.
[1992 No. 93.]
(5) The Council may in its absolute discretion provisionally accept a qualification produced in respect of an application for registration under this section or direct that the application be received within such period as may be specified in the direction.
(6) The Council shall, from time to time, publish in the Federal Gazette particulars of the qualifications for the time being accepted for registration.

(1) The Council may approve for the purpose of section 12 of this Act-
(a) any course of training which is intended for persons seeking to become members of the profession under this Act and which the Council considers is designed to confer on persons completing it sufficient knowledge and skill for the practice of the profession;
(b) any institution either in Nigeria or elsewhere which the Council considers is properly organised and equipped for conducting the whole or any part of the course of training approved by the Council under this section; or
(c) any qualification which, as a result of examination taken in conjunction with the course of training approved by the Council under this section, is granted to candidates reaching a standard at the examination indicating, in the opinion of the Council, that they have sufficient knowledge and skill to practise the profession.
(2) The Council may, if it thinks fit, withdraw any approval given under this section in respect of any course, qualification or institution but before withdrawing such an approval, the Council shall-
(a) give notice that it proposes to do so to persons by whom the course is conducted or the qualification is granted or the institution is controlled, as the case maybe;
(b) afford each such person an opportunity of making to the Council representation with regard to the proposal; and
(c) take into consideration any representations made in respect of the proposal in pursuance of paragraph (b) of this subsection.
(3) In respect of any period during which the approval of the Council under this section for a course, institution or qualification is withdrawn, the course, institution or qualification shall not be treated as approved under this section but the withdrawal of such an approval shall not prejudice the registration or eligibility for registration of any person who by virtue of the approval was registered or eligible for registration immediately before the approval was withdrawn.
(4) The giving or withdrawal of an approval under this section shall have effect from such date, after the execution of the instrument signifying the giving or withdrawal of the approval, as the Council may specify in the instrument, and the Council shall-
(a) as soon as may be, publish a copy of every instrument in the Federal Gazette; and
(b) not later than seven days before its publication as aforesaid send a copy of the instrument to the Minister.

(1) It shall be the duty of the Council to keep itself informed of the nature of-
(a) the instruction given at approved institutions to persons attending approved courses of training; and
(b) the examinations as a result of which approved qualifications are granted,
and for the purpose of performing that duty, the Council may appoint, either from among its own members or otherwise, persons to visit approved institutions or attend such examinations.
(2) It shall be the duty of a Visitor appointed under subsection (1) of this section to report to the Council on-
(a) the adequacy of the instruction given to persons attending approved courses of training at institutions visited by him;
(b) the adequacy of the examination attended by him; and
(c) any other matter relating to the institutions or examinations which the Council may, either generally or in a particular case, request him to report,
but no Visitor shall interfere with the giving of any instruction or the holding of any examination.
(3) On receiving a report made in pursuance of this section, the Council shall, as soon as may be, send a copy of the report to the person appearing to the Council to be in charge of the institution or responsible for the examinations to which the report relates requesting that person to make representations to the Council within such time as may be specified in the request not being more than one month beginning with the date of the request.

(1) The Council may, if it thinks fit, consider and report to the Minister upon all matters relating to the professional training and other qualifications required for admission to the profession under this Act and the conditions of practice after registration.
(2) The Minister may require the Council to advise him on any matter referred to in subsection (1) of this section.

A certificate required by any enactment from any class of persons for whom a register is maintained under this Act shall not be valid, unless the person signing it is registered in accordance with this Act.
[1992 No. 93.]

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, no person, not being registered in accordance with this Act, shall be entitled to hold any appointment in the public service of the Federation or of a State or in any public or private establishment, body or institution, if the holding of such appointment involves the performance by him in Nigeria of any act pertaining to the profession for gain.
(2) Nothing in this section or in any other provisions of this Part of this Act shall prevent a person from holding any appointment referred to in subsection (1) of this section while he is undergoing training for the purpose of becoming qualified for registration under this Act under the supervision of persons who are registered in accordance with this Act.

Any person, not being registered in any register established under section 11 of this Act, who holds himself out to be so registered or uses any name, title, description or symbol calculated to lead any person to infer that he is so registered, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction for a first offence to a maximum fine of one thousand naira or to imprisonment for a term of six months or to both such fine and imprisonment, and on conviction for a second or any subsequent offence to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or more than three years.

No remuneration shall be recoverable by legal proceedings in respect of any act pertaining to the profession of a registered person when penormed by a person who is prohibited from performing such act for gain.

(1) If any person for the purpose of procuring the registration of any name, qualification or other matter-
(a) makes a statement which he believes to be false in a material particular; or
(b) recklessly makes a statement which is false in a material particular,
he shall be guilty of an offence under this section.
(2) If the Registrar or any other person employed by the Council wilfully makes any falsification in any matter relating to any register maintained under this Act, he shall be guilty of an offence under this section.
(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable-
(a) on conviction in a court of inferior jurisdiction, to a fine not exceeding five hundred naira; or
(b) on conviction in a High Court or the Federal High Court to a fine not exceeding one thousand naira or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years, or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(4) Where an offence under this Part of this Act which has been committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the connivance of or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate or any person purporting to act in any such capacity, he, as well as the body corporate, shall be deemed to be guilty of that offence and punished accordingly.

In any criminal proceedings against any person upon a charge of having performed an act which constitutes an offence if performed by an unregistered person, the person charged shall be deemed to be unregistered unless he proves the contrary.

(1) There shall be established a disciplinary committee to be known as the Advertising Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (in this Act referred to as "the Disciplinary Committee") which shall be charged with the duty of considering and determining any case referred to it by the panel established by the following provision of this Act.
(2) The Disciplinary Committee shall consist of seven members of the Council at least three of whom shall be members holding office by virtue of paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section 2 of this Act.
(3) There shall be established a body to be known as the Advertising Practitioners Investigating Panel (hereafter in this Act referred to as "the Investigating Panel") which shall be charged with the duty of-
(a) conducting preliminary investigation into any case where it is alleged that a registered person has misbehaved in his capacity as such, or should for any other reason be the subject of proceedings before the Disciplinary Committee; and
(b) deciding whether the case should be referred to the Disciplinary Committee.
(4) The Investigating Panel shall be appointed by the Council and shall coosist of five members of the Council.
(5)
The provisions of the Secood Schedule to this Act shall, in so far as is applicable to the Disciplinary Committee and the Investigating Panel respectively, have effect with respect to those bodies.
[Second Schedule.]

(1) There shall be established by the Council, a panel to be known as the Advertising Standards Panel (in this Act referred to as "the Standards Panel") which shall be charged with the duty of ensuring that advertisements conform with the prevailing laws of the Federation as well as the codes of ethics of the advertising profession.
(2) The Standards Panel shall consist of not less than three members of the Council and the following other members, that is-
(a) two representatives each of the following associations namely-
(i) the Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria;
(ii) the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria;
(iii) the Consumers Association;
(iv) the Outdoor Advertising Association;
(b) three representatives of the Food and Drug Unit of the Federal Ministry of Health;
(c) two representatives each of-
(i) advertisers;
(ii) National Council of Women Societies;
(iii) the electronic media;
(iv) the Central Bank of Nigeria and other financial institutions.
(3) A member of the Standards Panel other than a member of the Council shall hold office on such terms and conditions as may be contained in his letter of appointment.
(4) A decision of the Standards Panel shall have effect except when nullified by the Council on appeal.
[1992 No. 93.]

(1) At any meeting of the Disciplinary Committee five members shall form a quorum.
[1992 No. 93.]
(2) The Chairman shall preside at any meeting of the Disciplinary Committee or in his absence the members present at the meeting shall appoint one of the members to preside at the meeting.
(3) Any question proposed for decision by the Disciplinary Committee shall be determined by the majority of the members present and voting at a meeting of the Disciplinary Committee at which a quorum is present.
(4) At all meetings of the Disciplinary Committee each member present shall have one vote on a question proposed for decision by the Disciplinary Committee, and in the event of an equality of votes, the chairman shall have, in addition to a deliberative vote, a casting vote.

(1) Where-
(a) a person registered under this Act is convicted by any court or tribunal in Nigeria or elsewhere having power to award punishment for an offence (whether or not an offence punishable with imprisonment) which in the opinion of the Disciplinary Committee is incompatible with the status of such professional; or
(b) a registered person is judged by the Disciplinary Committee to be guilty of infamous conduct in a professional respect; or
(c) the Disciplinary Committee is satisfied that the name of any person has been fraudulently registered,
the Disciplinary Committee may give any of the directions mentioned in subsection (2) of this section.
(2) The Disciplinary Committee may give a direction under subsection (1) of this section-
(a) ordering the Registrar to strike the person's name off the relevant part of the register;
(b) suspending the person from practice for such period as may be specified in the direction;
(c) reprimanding the person;
(d) ordering the person to pay to the Council any costs of and incidental to the proceedings or any other sums of money whatsoever incurred by the Council; or
(e) cautioning the person and postponing for a period not exceeding one year any further action against him on one or more conditions as to his conduct during that period,
and any such direction may, where appropriate, include provisions requiring the refund of moneys paid or the handing over of documents or any other thing, as the case may require.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, a person shall not be treated as convicted unless the conviction stands at a time when no appeal or further appeal is pending or may (without extension of time) be brought in connection with the conviction.
(4) In any inquiry under this section, any finding of fact which is shown to have been made in-
(a) any criminal proceedings in a court in Nigeria; or
(b) any civil proceedings in a court in Nigeria,
shall be conclusive evidence of the fact found.
(5) If, after due inquiry, the Disciplinary Committee is satisfied that during the period of any postponement under paragraph (e) of subsection (2) of this section, a person has not complied with the conditions imposed thereunder, the Disciplinary Committee may, if it thinks fit, impose anyone or more of the penalties mentioned in paragraphs (a), (b),(c) or (d) of that subsection.
(6) A certificate under the hand uf the Chairman that any costs have been ordered to be paid by a person under this section shall be conclusive evidence thereof.

(1) Where the name of a person has been struck off the register in pursuance of a direction given under section 23 of this Act, the Disciplinary Committee, may if it thinks fit, at any time direct the restoration of his name to the register.
[1992 No. 92.]
(2) An application for the restoration of a name to a register under subsection (1) of this section shall not be made to the Disciplinary Committee before the expiration of such period from the date of the striking off (and where he has made such an application, from the date of his last application) as may be specified in the direction.
(3) There shall be payable to the Council by any person on the restoration of his name to a register in pursuance of a direction given under this section the like fees as would be payable by that person on first becoming registered on that register.

(1) If it is proved to the satisfaction of the Disciplinary Comntittee that any entry made in a register had been fraudulently or incorrectly made, the Disciplinary Committee may direct that the entry shall be struck off from the register.
(2) A person may be registered in pursuance of any provisions of this Act notwithstanding that his name had been struck off in pursuance of a direction given under subsection (1) of this section, but if it was so struck off on the ground of fraud, he shall not be registered except if an application in that behalf is made to the Disciplinary Committee and on any such application the Disciplinary Committee may, if it thinks fit, direct that he shall be registered or shall not be registered until the expiration of such period as may be specified in the direction.
(3) Any reference in this Act to the striking off from or the restoration to a register of the name of a person shall be construed as including a reference to the striking off from or the restoration to the register of any other registrable particulars relating to that person.

(1) Where the Disciplinary Committee-
(a) makes a finding and imposes a penalty on a registered person under section 25 of this Act; or
(b) rejects an application for restoration of a name to a register under section 26 (1) of this Act; or
(c) directs the striking off of an entry from a register under section 27 (1) of this Act,
the Registrar shall give the person to whom the proceedings relate notice in writing thereof and such person may, within 28 days from the date of service on him of the notice, appeal to the Court of Appeal.
(2) On any appeal under this section, the Council shall be the respondent.
(3) No direction for the striking off of the name of a registered person from a register under section 25 of this Act shall take effect until the expiration of the time for appealing or if an appeal is brought, until such time as the appeal is disposed of, withdrawn or struck out for want of prosecution, as the case may be.
(4) The Court of Appeal may, on an appeal under this section-
(a) confirm, vary or set aside any finding of fact, penalty imposed or direction given by the Disciplinary Committee;
(b) confirm the rejection of the Disciplinary Committee of the application for restoration or direct the restoration of the name to the register;
(c) remit the matter to the Disciplinary Committee for further consideration; or
(d) make such other order as to costs or otherwise as may to it seem just, but no proceedings before the Disciplinary Committee shall be set aside by reason only of informality in those proceedings which did not embarrass or prejudice the appellant.

(1) The Minister may make regulations as may in his opinion be necessary or expedient for giving full effect to the provisions of this Act and for the administration thereof.
(2) Any power to make regulations, rules or orders conferred under this Act shall include-
(a) the power to make provisions for such incidental and supplementary matters as the authority making the instrument considers expedient for the purposes of the instruments; and
(b) the power to make different provisions for different circumstances.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-
"Association" means the Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria;
"Council" means the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria established under section 1 of this Act;
"member" means a member of the Board and includes the Chairman;
"Minister" means the Minister charged with the responsibility for matters relating to information and "Ministry" shall be construed accordingly;
"profession" means the advertising profession;
"register" means the register maintained in pursuance of section 9 of this Act;
[1992 No. 93.]
"registered" means registered as a fellow, member, associate or student member of the profession in the part of the register relating to fellows, members, associates or students, as the case may be;
"Registrar" means the Registrar appointed under section 8 of this Act.

This Act may be cited as the Advertising Practitioners (Registration, etc.) Act.