Enugu introduces ₦150m campaign advertising fee ahead of elections
The Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency has fixed a mandatory ₦150 million advertising permit fee for political parties and candidates ahead of the 2026 local government elections and the 2027 general elections.
The General Manager of the agency, Mr Francis Aninwike, announced the decision during a management meeting at the agency’s headquarters in Enugu on Monday.
According to Aninwike, the policy is consistent with the agency’s legal responsibility to regulate outdoor advertising and maintain environmental order and visual appeal across the 17 local government areas of Enugu State.
A statement from the media office of Governor Peter Mbah explained that the fee applies to all forms of political outdoor advertising and is aimed at ensuring compliance with signage standards throughout the election period.
Aninwike explained that the fee would grant parties the right to deploy campaign materials, including banners, branded vehicles, T-shirts, and handbills, as well as conduct street campaigns and rallies.
The statement read in part, “Every political party and candidate must obtain a campaign permit from ENSSAA before deploying any form of visual campaign or outdoor promotional materials. The statutory fee for the permit is ₦150m, payable to the Enugu State Government account.”
The ENSSAA boss noted that the measure was designed to prevent visual pollution, protect public infrastructure, and maintain professional standards during the electioneering period.
Aninwike further warned that any party or candidate that failed to comply with the directive would have their campaign materials removed and may face legal sanctions.
He also clarified that only practitioners registered and licensed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria are authorised to manage billboards or campaign structures in the state.
“No individual, political party, or support group is permitted to erect billboards or advertisement structures in any part of Enugu State without going through licensed ARCON practitioners as permitted by ENSSAA,” he stated.
Addressing concerns about possible bias, Aninwike insisted that the guidelines would apply uniformly to all candidates, including incumbents.
He said that Governor Peter Mbah had consistently complied with the state’s advertising regulations in his previous and current official activities.
The agency also cautioned supporters against defacing the campaign materials of opponents, describing such acts as undemocratic and punishable under the law.
