By theG&BJounal
MON FEB 23 2026-theGBJournal| The Enugu State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ENSSAA) has fixed a hefty N150 million mandatory advert permit for political parties and candidates ahead of the 2026 and 2027 election cycles, setting the stage for intense debate over campaign financing and regulatory oversight.
The General Manager of the agency, Mr. Francis Aninwike, disclosed this during a management meeting held on Monday, at the agency’s headquarters in the New State Secretariat Complex, GRA, Enugu.
The directive, which applies to outdoor political advertising across the state, signals a stricter enforcement regime as political activities begin to gather momentum.
Under the new framework, parties and aspirants seeking to deploy billboards, branded materials, and other campaign visuals must secure the permit before mounting any promotional content.
The agency says the move is aimed at streamlining political advertising, curbing visual pollution, and ensuring compliance with state signage laws during what is expected to be a fiercely contested electoral season.
Speaking on the theme, “Outdoor Promotion and Visual Campaign Guidelines for 2026 and 2027 General Elections,” Aninwike said the directive was in line with ENSSAA’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.
He 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 ENSSAA before deploying any form of visual campaign or outdoor promotional materials. The statutory fee for the permit is N150 million, payable to the Enugu State Government account,” he said.
According to him, the permit is designed to prevent visual pollution, ensure a level playing field, maintain professional standards in outdoor advertising, and protect public infrastructure.
Aninwike warned that parties or candidates who fail to comply would have their campaign materials removed and could face legal sanctions.
He further clarified that only practitioners registered and licensed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) are authorized 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 ENSSAA,” he stated.
The agency also cautioned against defacing opponents’ campaign materials, describing such actions as undemocratic and punishable under the law.
He urged political parties and supporters to conduct campaigns responsibly, noting that elections should not be treated as a “do-or-die affair,” but as a democratic process that allows citizens to fulfill their civic obligations.
Aninwike dismissed allegations of possible selective enforcement, insisting that the guidelines would apply uniformly to all candidates and parties, including incumbents, adding that Governor Peter Mbah has consistently complied with advertising regulations in all his campaign and official promotional activities.
The ENSSAA boss 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.
However, the N150 million price tag is already raising eyebrows among stakeholders, with concerns about its implications for smaller parties and grassroots candidates.
Analysts warn that while the policy may boost state revenue and improve regulatory control, it could also reshape the political advertising landscape by favoring well-funded contenders in the run-up to the polls.
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