BREAKING NEWS: Enugu State Sets ₦150m Mandatory Advertising Permit for 2026, 2027 Elections

Business, Politics

ENUGU, NIGERIA (NPA): The Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency (ENSSAA) has announced that political parties and candidates contesting the 2026 and 2027 elections must pay a mandatory advertising permit fee of ₦150 million.

The policy, unveiled on Monday by ENSSAA General Manager Francis Aninwike, forms part of the agency’s Outdoor Promotion and Visual Campaign Guidelines for the 2026 and 2027 General Elections. He explained that the measure is designed to regulate campaign advertising across the state’s 17 local government areas, ensuring orderliness, environmental aesthetics, and compliance with statutory regulations.

The permit covers campaign activities including rallies, banners, branded vehicles, T-shirts, caps, handbills, buntings, and street promotions. Aninwike warned that no party or candidate may deploy outdoor campaign materials without first obtaining the permit, stressing that violators risk removal of materials and possible legal sanctions.

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He further noted that only practitioners licensed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) are authorized to erect and manage billboards or campaign structures in the state. “No individual, political party, or support group is permitted to erect billboards or advertisement structures without going through licensed ARCON practitioners as permitted by ENSSAA,” he said.

Addressing concerns of selective enforcement, Aninwike insisted the guidelines would apply uniformly to all parties and candidates, including incumbents. He added that Governor Peter Mbah has consistently adhered to advertising regulations in his campaigns and official promotions. The ENSSAA chief concluded by wishing political parties success in their preparations and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to maintaining professionalism and order in outdoor advertising across Enugu State.