By Nworisa Michael
Political parties and candidates preparing for the 2026 and 2027 local, state and federal elections in Enugu State will be required to pay a mandatory ₦150 million advertising permit fee before embarking on any visual campaign across the state.
The directive was announced by Mr. Francis Aninwike, General Manager of the Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency (ENSSAA), during a management meeting held at the agency’s headquarters in the New State Secretariat Complex, GRA, Enugu.
Speaking on the theme, “Outdoor Promotion and Visual Campaign Guidelines for 2026 and 2027 General Elections,” Aninwike said the measure aligns with ENSSAA’s statutory responsibility to regulate outdoor advertising, ensure environmental orderliness and maintain professional standards across the state’s 17 local government areas.
According to him, every political party and candidate must obtain a campaign permit from ENSSAA before deploying any form of visual campaign or outdoor promotional materials. He stated that the statutory fee for the permit is ₦150 million, payable to the Enugu State Government account.
He explained that the permit authorises parties and candidates to deploy campaign materials and undertake visual promotions in both urban and rural communities. These include rallies, banners, branded vehicles, T-shirts, caps, handbills, buntings and other forms of street campaigns.
Aninwike said the policy is designed to prevent visual pollution, protect public infrastructure, promote professionalism in outdoor advertising and ensure a level playing field for all contestants.
He warned that any political party or candidate that fails to comply with the directive would have their campaign materials removed and may face legal sanctions.
The ENSSAA boss further clarified that only practitioners registered and licensed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) are permitted 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 political actors against defacing or destroying opponents’ campaign materials, describing such actions as undemocratic and punishable under the law.
Addressing concerns about possible selective enforcement, Aninwike maintained that the guidelines would apply uniformly to all candidates and political parties, including incumbents. He added that Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah has consistently complied with advertising regulations in his campaign and official promotional activities.
He urged stakeholders to approach the forthcoming elections responsibly, stressing that elections should not be treated as a “do-or-die affair,” but as a democratic process through which citizens exercise their civic rights.
Aninwike wished political parties well as preparations intensify and reaffirmed ENSSAA’s commitment to maintaining order, professionalism and environmental standards in outdoor advertising throughout Enugu State.
