The Abia State Structure for Signage and Advertising Agency (ABSSAA) has unveiled a new permit fee regime for political campaign advertisements ahead of the 2027 general elections, requiring presidential candidates to pay ₦200 million to display campaign billboards and other outdoor promotional materials across the state.
The policy, announced during the agency’s 2026 Stakeholders Engagement Forum in Aba on Wednesday, will affect all presidential aspirants, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and other candidates seeking to campaign in Abia State.
According to the new fee structure:
Presidential candidates: ₦200 million
Governorship candidates: ₦150 million
Senatorial candidates: ₦100 million
House of Representatives candidates: ₦50 million
State House of Assembly candidates: ₦20 million
Speaking at the event, ABSSAA’s Director of Strategy and Innovation, Ndubuisi Nwogwugwu, said the fees were introduced to regulate political advertising and ensure compliance with outdoor advertising standards throughout the election period.
He warned that campaign structures erected without the agency’s approval, or those that fail to meet safety and regulatory standards, would be removed.
“The agency will not hesitate to revoke approvals or remove structures that violate laid down regulations,” he said.
To ease the financial burden on state assembly candidates, the agency said they could participate in joint campaign billboards with their party’s governorship candidate instead of paying the full permit fee individually.
ABSSAA maintained that the policy is aimed at promoting order in the state’s outdoor advertising space and preventing the indiscriminate placement of campaign materials during the election season.
Also speaking at the forum, the Director General of the Abia State Bureau of Strategic Communication, Onyebuchi Ememanka, dismissed claims that the policy targets opposition parties.
He insisted the regulations apply equally to all political parties and candidates, regardless of political affiliation.
“The campaign fees were not designed to stifle Abia opposition voices and visibility,” Ememanka said.
However, the policy drew immediate criticism from opposition figures. Abia State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, Kalu Kalu, questioned the legality of the fees, arguing that they could place an excessive financial burden on smaller political parties and undermine fair political competition.
He also raised concerns that the fee structure could conflict with the provisions of Nigeria’s Electoral Act relating to campaign financing and equal participation.
The development comes months after the Presidency publicly distanced itself from campaign billboards promoting President Tinubu’s alleged 2027 re-election bid. In April 2025, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said neither the President nor Vice President Kashim Shettima had authorised any campaign activities, stressing that the administration remained focused on governance until the Independent National Electoral Commission officially releases the timetable for the 2027 general elections….See More