The Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency has announced a mandatory N150 million advertising permit for political parties and candidates participating in any local, state and federal elections in 2026 and 2027.
The General Manager of the advertising agency, Francis Aninwike, disclosed this during a management meeting held on Monday at the agency’s headquarters in Enugu.
Mr Aninwike, who spoke on the theme: “Outdoor Promotion and Visual Campaign Guidelines for 2026 and 2027 General Elections,” said the directive was in line with the agency’s statutory mandate to regulate outdoor advertising and ensure orderliness, environmental aesthetics, and lawful conduct of campaign activities across the state’s 17 local government areas.
The general manager explained that the N150 million permit grants political parties and candidates the right to deploy campaign materials and engage in visual promotions, including rallies, banners, branded vehicles, T-shirts, caps, handbills, buntings, and street campaigns across both urban and rural areas.
“Every political party and candidate must obtain a campaign permit from Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency before deploying any form of visual campaign or outdoor promotional materials. The statutory fee for the permit is M150 million, payable to the Enugu State Government account,” he said.
He said the permit was designed to prevent visual pollution, ensure a level playing field, maintain professional standards in outdoor advertising, and protect public infrastructure.
‘Campaign materials will be removed’
Mr Aninwike warned that parties or candidates who fail to comply would have their campaign materials removed and could face legal sanctions.
He further said that only practitioners registered and licensed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) are authorised to erect and manage billboards or campaign structures within 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 Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency,” he said.
The manager cautioned against defacing opponents’ campaign materials and described such actions as undemocratic and punishable under the law.
He urged political parties and supporters to conduct campaigns responsibly, arguing that elections should not be treated as a “do-or-die affair,” but as a democratic process that allows citizens to fulfil their civic obligations.
No selective enforcement
Mr Aninwike dismissed allegations of possible selective enforcement, insisting that the guidelines would apply uniformly to all candidates and parties, including serving politicians in the Enugu State Government.
The general manager contended that Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has consistently complied with advertising regulations in all his campaign and official promotional activities.
He wished political parties well as they prepare for the upcoming elections and reiterated the agency’s commitment to maintaining order and professionalism in outdoor advertising across Enugu State.
‘We’re still studying the directive’
When contacted on Tuesday morning, the Caretaker Chairperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, Steve Oruruo, told PREMIUM TIMES that the PDP was currently studying the directive by the advertising agency, given that it was issued just yesterday.
Mr Oruruo, a lawyer, also said the opposition party was still studying the “validity” of the agency’s claim that Governor Mbah has consistently complied with advertising regulations in all his campaign and official promotional activities.
“I have not seen the law (backing the directive). I have not seen the position of the state government. I need to study them and make my opinion when I deem fit,” he said.
Mr Mbah was elected governor of Enugu State in 2023 under the PDP platform.
He defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress in October last year following an intense leadership crisis within the PDP at the national level.
Elections
Local government and councillorship elections are expected to be held in Enugu State later this year.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed the general election for February 2027.
In the neighbouring Anambra State, the Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency, in 2022, fixed similar fees for placement of campaign materials by candidates ahead of the 2023 elections in Anambra.
According to the agency, presidential candidates were to pay N10 million as permit fee; senatorial candidates, N7 million; candidates for House of Representatives were charged N5 million; and the state assembly candidates, N1 million.