Abia State Sets N200 Million Permit Fee for Presidential Campaign Billboards

Abia State, Nigeria, has introduced a stringent N200 million permit fee for presidential candidates seeking to campaign through billboards and posters. This significant charge is part of a broader schedule of fees approved by the state government for political campaign advertising, impacting candidates at all levels.

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Presidential candidates will pay N200 million, Governorship candidates will pay N150 million, Senatorial candidates will pay N100 million, House of Representatives and Assembly candidate will pay N50 and N20 million respectively.

The Abia State Structures for Signages and Advertising Agency (ABSSAA) announced the rates, which include N150 million for governorship candidates, N100 million for senatorial hopefuls, and N50 million and N20 million for House of Representatives and Assembly candidates, respectively. Ndubuisi Nwaogwugwu, head of Strategy, Innovation, and Design at ABSSAA, stated that the schedule applies throughout the approved election campaign period and is non-negotiable.

Onyebuchi Ememanka, director general of Abia's Strategic Communications Bureau, defended the fees, emphasizing their role in protecting road safety, preserving urban aesthetics, and maintaining the integrity of the democratic process. He assured that the government aims to provide a transparent and equitable environment for political engagement, ensuring that all parties and candidates adhering to the rules and paying the appropriate fees would have equal opportunities for public engagement through outdoor advertising.

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It is about protecting lives on our roads, preserving the beauty of cities, and protecting the integrity of our democratic process.

However, the Out-of-Home Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) has voiced strong reservations about the proposed fees. Sola Akinsiku, OAAN president, described the rates as "unsustainable" and warned that they could lead to reduced political advertising, potentially harming voter literacy, increasing apathy, and disenfranchising citizens. OAAN, represented by Treasurer Chinweuba Nwagu, called for more collaborative discussions and a "soft-landing" approach to avoid stifling the outdoor advertising sector in Abia State. The Abia chairman of the African Democratic Congress also expressed concerns about the law's provisions.

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The rates are unsustainable and so could affect political advertising, resulting in poor voter literacy, voter apathy and disenfranchisement of people, which would hurt the polity the more.