By Abah Benjamin Eneojoh
Lokoja
August 11, 2026 – The Kogi State Government has approved official fees for the placement of billboards, posters, branded T-shirts, caps and other campaign materials by political parties and candidates contesting the 2027 general elections and the October 2026 local government elections in the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo, disclosed this in Lokoja after a stakeholders’ meeting with operators in the signage and advertising sector.
The decision is coming as campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled to commence on August 19.
Fanwo said the approved fees were designed to regulate political advertising across the state, ensure compliance with existing signage regulations and generate revenue for the development of Kogi State.
Under the approved structure, Presidential candidates will pay N150 million for campaign signage and related promotional materials across the state, while Senatorial candidates will pay N50 million.
Candidates for the House of Representatives will pay N30 million, while those contesting for the State House of Assembly will pay N5 million.
For the local government elections, chairmanship candidates will pay N2 million, while councillorship candidates will pay N300,000.
The Commissioner explained that the rates were arrived at after a peer review of applicable fees in other states.
According to him, the charges are considered affordable in view of the scale and reach of political campaigns.
He said the fees would also enable the government to properly regulate the proliferation of campaign materials across the state while ensuring that political advertising contributes to the state’s revenue base.
Fanwo warned that the placement of campaign materials without payment of the prescribed fees and compliance with the relevant regulations would constitute an offence,
The Commissioner said offenders and anyone found aiding or facilitating such violations would be prosecuted.
He stressed that the regulations apply to all political parties and candidates without exception, including candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“In Kogi, APC is the ruling party, but that does not exempt any APC candidate from complying with the law.
“If you are an APC candidate and you did not pay the prescribed fee before placing your billboards or posters, we will remove them and you will be prosecuted.
“The government is for everybody. All political parties and candidates are hereby enjoined to adhere strictly to the regulations governing the placement of campaign materials across the state,” he said.
Fanwo further explained that the Kogi State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KOSSAA), an agency under the Kogi State Ministry of Information and Communications, is responsible for regulating signage and outdoor advertising activities in the state and would coordinate the enforcement of the approved campaign signage regime.
He said the state government would ensure that the enforcement of the regulations was carried out fairly and without political discrimination.
Also speaking, the General Manager of KOSSAA, Mr. Richard Osaseyi, said the agency would commence full enforcement of the regulations from next week.
Osaseyi urged political parties, candidates, campaign organisations and billboard operators to register with the agency and obtain the necessary approvals before erecting or displaying campaign materials.
He cautioned that unauthorised campaign materials would be removed, while individuals or organisations found to have violated the regulations would face the appropriate sanctions.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
