Abia State Government Fixes ₦200m, ₦150m Campaign Advertisement Fees for 2027 Elections.

Abia State Government Fixes ₦200m, ₦150m Campaign Advertisement Fees for 2027 Elections.

The Abia State Structure for Signage and Advertising Agency (ABSSAA) has announced the official campaign advertisement fees for candidates contesting the 2027 general elections in the state, with presidential candidates expected to pay ₦200 million for the display of campaign materials in approved advertising spaces.

The fee structure was unveiled during the agency’s 2026 Stakeholders’ Engagement Forum held in Aba by the Director of Strategy and Innovation, Ndubuisi Nwogwugwu. According to him, governorship candidates will pay ₦150 million, senatorial candidates ₦100 million, House of Representatives candidates ₦50 million, while candidates seeking election into the Abia State House of Assembly will pay ₦20 million.

Nwogwugwu explained that the payment is a one-time fee covering the entire campaign and election period, adding that the arrangement is aimed at ensuring an orderly and regulated advertising environment throughout the election season.

He further disclosed that House of Assembly candidates who may be unable to pay the full advertising fee would be allowed to share campaign billboards with their party’s governorship candidate as part of measures to reduce campaign costs.

The agency also warned that it would remove campaign billboards that fail to obtain the necessary approvals or those considered to pose risks to public safety. ABSSAA maintained that the policy applies equally to all political parties and candidates, insisting that no individual or political platform would receive preferential treatment.

Speaking at the forum, the Director General of the Abia State Bureau of Strategic Communication, Onyebuchi Ememanka, defended the new charges, stating that they were not designed to suppress opposition parties but were intended to regulate political advertising in a fair and transparent manner across the state.

However, the policy has drawn criticism from the Abia State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kalu Kalu, who argued that the fees violate the provisions of the Electoral Act relating to campaign finance limits and could undermine fair political competition.

The stakeholders’ engagement forum was attended by representatives of political parties, advertising practitioners, and government officials, who deliberated on the implementation of the policy ahead of the 2027 general elections.