To be able to undertake out-of-home political promotions and visual campaigns in Anambra State ahead of the 2027 General Elections, presidential candidates of the various political parties in the contest must pay a permit fee of N50 million each.
This was announced by the Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency, ANSAA, during a media briefing on Friday, at the ANSAA headquarters in Awka.
Also, Senatorial candidates are to pay a ₦20 million fee, House of Representatives Candidates ₦5million, while the State House of Assembly Candidates will pay ₦ 1.5 million.
For the local government elections billed for August 2026 in the state, Local Government Chairmanship Candidates are to pay ₦ 2.5 million, while Councillorship Candidates are to pay ₦100,000.
Unveiling the Out-of-Home Promotions and Visual Campaign Guidelines for the 2027 General Elections in Anambra State, the Assistant General Manager of the ANSAA, Barr Chika Ngobili reminded all political parties and candidates participating in the elections of the mandatory requirement to obtain campaign permits from ANSAA before commencing campaign activities.
The campaign activities covered under the payment, he noted, included out-of-home visual promotions, rallies, branded materials, public address systems, and other outdoor promotional activities.
According to him, the release of the guideline was in line with the regulatory framework for political campaign activities in Anambra State, and in anticipation of the official lifting of the ban on political campaigns by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ngobili disclosed that the purpose of the permit is to ensure orderliness, prevent visual pollution, protect public infrastructure, maintain professional standards, guarantee fairness and equal access to advertising space, and ensure proper coordination of campaign-related outdoor activities across the State.
“These permits grant candidates and political parties the right to deploy approved campaign materials and activities, including Posters, Public Address Systems, Branded Vehicles, Banners, Fliers, Buntings, T-Shirts, Caps, Street Storms, Campaign Booths, Rallies, and other related promotional materials within approved locations across the relevant electoral areas in Anambra State.
“We expect that all campaign materials intended for outdoor display by political parties, candidates, support groups, advertising agencies, and advertising practitioners must be vetted and approved by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) before deployment or display.
“Please also be informed that no individual, political party, candidate, or support group is permitted to erect billboards or advertisement structures in any part of Anambra State except through duly registered and licensed advertising practitioners recognized by the ARCON and authorized by ANSAA.
“All political parties and candidates are therefore strongly advised to work only with ARCON-registered practitioners and obtain the necessary approvals from ANSAA to avoid sanctions, removal of unauthorized materials, or other regulatory actions,” he noted.
The agency appealed to all political parties, candidates, their supporters, and members of the public to be considerate of other users of advertising and visual promotion spaces across the State and refrain from destroying, removing, or defacing campaign materials belonging to opponents.
According to the agency, such actions are unacceptable, unlawful, and contrary to the principles of peaceful democratic engagement.
Also speaking, the Agency’s Out-of-Home Manager, Mr Innocent Adike, advised political parties and candidates against the indiscriminate pasting of posters on public buildings, road signs, bridges, flyovers, drainage channels, public monuments, utility installations, schools, hospitals, and other prohibited locations across the State.
He said ANSAA enforcement teams will monitor compliance throughout the campaign period, and any individual, group, or organization found violating these guidelines shall be sanctioned in accordance with the laws of the state.
“The electioneering process should not be seen as a do-or-die affair. It is a democratic exercise designed to deepen participation and strengthen governance. We therefore urge all candidates, political parties, supporters, and the general public to conduct themselves peacefully and responsibly throughout the campaign season,” he said.
Contributing, the Manager, Special Projects and Executive Assistant to the MD/CEO of the Agency, Dr Obinna Efobi said the ANSAA as the statutory agency charged with regulating out-of-home advertising structures and controlling outdoor signage and advertisement activities across the State, is committed to its mandate.
He assured that the agency will remain fair in its enforcement operations in line with the law.
On whether the permit fees are not exorbitant for the candidates to afford, Efobi said the agency is not mandating any candidate, noting that those who cannot afford the out-of-home means can use other forms of campaigns.
