Abia sets steep new campaign advertising rates ahead of 2027.
N200 Million to Advertise: Abia’s New Rule for Presidential Candidates
Presidential candidates hoping to campaign on Abia’s billboards in 2027 will need deep pockets.
The Abia State Structures for Signages and Advertising Agency (ABSSAA) announced Wednesday in Aba that presidential candidates must pay N200 million for a campaign advertising permit, according to the Peoples Gazette.
Governorship candidates will pay N150 million, senatorial candidates N100 million, while House of Representatives and Assembly candidates face N50 million and N20 million respectively, ABSSAA’s head of strategy, innovation and design, Ndubuisi Nwaogwugwu, said.
Officials insist the rates are non-negotiable and apply equally to every party. Onyebuchi Ememanka, director-general of the Strategic Communications Bureau, said the policy protects road safety, city aesthetics and electoral integrity, adding that Governor Alex Otti’s administration would not discriminate against any candidate or party.
Not everyone is convinced. Sola Akinsiku, president of the Out-of-Home Advertising Association of Nigeria, said the association backs fairness and transparency but warned the fees are unsustainable and could hurt voter engagement and awareness.
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