The Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency ENSSAA has introduced a mandatory ₦150 million advertising permit for political parties and candidates seeking to campaign in the state ahead of the 2026 local government and 2027 general elections.

The agency’s General Manager, Francis Aninwike, announced the policy at a management meeting in Enugu, explaining that the fee is tied to ENSSAA’s legal mandate to regulate outdoor advertising and preserve environmental aesthetics across the state’s 17 local government areas.

Under the new regime, every political party and candidate must obtain a campaign permit before deploying any visual or outdoor promotional material. The permit will cover the use of banners, branded vehicles, T-shirts, handbills, billboards, and the organisation of street campaigns and rallies.

According to Aninwike, the ₦150 million fee is payable to the Enugu State Government and is a prerequisite for any form of outdoor political advertising. He stressed that the measure is aimed at curbing visual pollution, protecting public infrastructure, and enforcing professional standards during the electioneering period.

He warned that parties or candidates who ignore the directive risk having their campaign materials removed, in addition to possible legal sanctions. Enforcement teams, he said, would be empowered to dismantle unauthorised structures and confiscate non-compliant materials.

ENSSAA also underscored that only practitioners registered and licensed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria ARCON are permitted to handle billboards and campaign structures in the state. No individual, political party, or support group may erect billboards or other advertising installations without working through licensed ARCON professionals recognised by ENSSAA.

Responding to concerns that the policy could be used to favour certain contenders, Aninwike maintained that the guidelines would apply uniformly to all political actors, including incumbents. He cited Governor Peter Mbah’s adherence to existing advertising rules in his official engagements as evidence that the administration is subject to the same regulatory framework.

The agency further cautioned political supporters against defacing or destroying opponents’ campaign materials, describing such acts as undemocratic and punishable under existing laws. ENSSAA said it expects parties to compete vigorously but within a regulated environment designed to balance political expression with public order and urban decorum.