2027: Kogi fixes N150m billboard fee for presidential candidates

The Kogi State Government has approved a N150 million fee for presidential candidates seeking to display campaign billboards and other promotional materials across the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The new charges cover campaign billboards, posters, branded T-shirts, caps and other political advertising materials.

Under the approved fee structure, senatorial candidates will pay N50 million, while House of Representatives candidates will be charged N30 million. State House of Assembly candidates will pay N5 million.

For the October 2026 local government elections, chairmanship candidates are to pay N2 million, while councillorship candidates will pay N300,000.

The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, announced the rates in Lokoja after a meeting between government officials and stakeholders in the signage and advertising sector.

Fanwo said the charges were introduced to regulate political advertising, curb indiscriminate placement of campaign materials and generate revenue for the state.

He said the government arrived at the rates after reviewing similar charges in other states, adding that the fees were considered reasonable given the scale of political campaigns.

The commissioner warned political parties and candidates against displaying campaign materials without paying the prescribed fees and obtaining the necessary approvals.

He said violators, including individuals or organisations that facilitate unauthorised displays, would face sanctions and possible prosecution.

Fanwo stressed that the regulations applied to all political parties, including the ruling All Progressives Congress.

“In Kogi, APC is the ruling party, but that does not exempt any APC candidate from complying with the law,” he said.

The Kogi State Signage and Advertisement Agency, under the Ministry of Information and Communications, will oversee enforcement of the new regulations.

KOSSAA General Manager, Richard Osaseyi, said enforcement would commence next week, urging political parties, candidates, campaign organisations and billboard operators to register with the agency and obtain approval before displaying campaign materials.

He warned that unauthorised billboards and other campaign materials would be removed, while offenders would face appropriate sanctions.