Nigeria set to establish Africa’s first stock image bank

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has taken a decisive step towards establishing the continent’s first indigenous stock image bank, named the Nigeria Stock Image Bank (NSIB).

ARCON inaugurated a 10-member Stock Image Bank Committee tasked with developing and submitting a report to lay the groundwork for implementing the stock image bank. The report is expected to address key aspects such as technological infrastructure, copyright protection and intellectual property.

The committee is chaired by Kelechi Amadi Obi, the President of the Professional Photographers Association of Nigeria, and its members were carefully selected to represent various sectors of the advertising and media industry. Other notable members include Mr. Omo Abunene from the Outdoor Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, Mr. Kanmi Da Silva of the Advertising Agencies Association of Nigeria and Ms. Martha Ugbomma Onyebuchi (ARCON).

Amadi Obi, in his inaugural speech, noted that online search results for quintessentially African images often yield images captured by non-African photographers. While Amadi Obi noted that an image bank is easily established, he emphasized the importance for Africans ‘to be their own story tellers’, and the hope is that this bank will help develop local content and promote indigenous production.

Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, Director General of ARCON, highlighted the significance of this initiative in promoting local content and helping to boost the economy in line with the country’s ‘Renewal Hope’ agenda.