High Costs of Campaign Billboards Worry Civil Society Group Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room is worried about the high cost of political campaign billboards in some states. They say these fees could limit opposition parties’ visibility and affect fair competition before the 2027 general elections.

The group reported that presidential billboard permit fees have gone up to N200 million in Abia State, N150 million in Enugu, Kogi, and Cross River, N75 million in Rivers, and N50 million in Anambra.

They also noted that the fee in Benue State is N40 million. The group sees these charges as a big problem for candidates and political parties that do not have enough money.

The Situation Room shared these worries in a statement signed on Thursday by its Convener, Yunusa Z. Yau, and Co-Convener, Mma Odi, in Abuja. They highlighted that these fees are much higher than regular billboard rental rates, which can range from about N200,000 to N15 million monthly, depending on the location and size of the ad space.

"Across several states, governments have introduced or substantially increased fees for political campaign advertisements, with presidential billboard permit fees reportedly standing at ₦200 million in Abia, ₦150 million in Enugu, Kogi and Cross River States, ₦75 million in Rivers and ₦50 million in Anambra.

“In Benue, the reported fee for presidential campaign billboards is ₦40 million. These charges are particularly concerning when compared with reported conventional billboard rental rates, which range from approximately ₦200,000 to ₦15 million monthly depending on the location and size of the advertising space.

“Although state governments have defended the charges as administrative and regulatory fees applicable to all political parties, the scale of the fees raises serious questions about affordability and whether candidates without access to substantial financial resources can compete for public visibility on equal terms,” the statement said.

The group also pointed out that opposition parties have faced issues accessing prime billboard locations. They mentioned that some campaign ads were reportedly destroyed or restricted. They referred to a claim that the Federal Capital Territory Administration approved a N750 million permit fee for presidential campaign billboards, which was denied by the media aide to the FCT Minister.

Still, they believe that concerns about unequal political visibility are very real. "Situation Room stresses that regulation of outdoor advertising must not become a means of limiting political expression or placing opposition parties at a disadvantage.

“All candidates must have fair and reasonable access to public advertising spaces, and the relevant authorities must ensure that fees, permit procedures and allocation of billboard locations are transparent, proportionate and applied without discrimination,” it added.

Aside from billboard costs, the organization is also worried about political defections, internal party problems, leadership disputes, contentious primaries, and legal issues around party structures and candidate nominations. They warned that ongoing internal disputes and competing leadership claims could limit citizens’ options and reduce trust in the electoral process.

The group raised concerns about reports of interference in opposition activities and restrictions on venues for lawful political gatherings. They pointed to complaints from the African Democratic Congress in Sokoto State.

Regarding election-related violence, the Situation Room mentioned the CLEEN Foundation’s Election Security Threat Assessment. This assessment recorded 70 incidents related to election violence across 19 states and the FCT between January 1 and October 27, 2026, resulting in 27 deaths from 20 separate incidents.

They noted that campaign rallies and party offices were often targeted, with violence rising around party congresses, primaries, and campaign activities. The organization also condemned inflammatory political statements, like the warning from former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, that anyone who rigged the 2027 elections would be killed.

They stated that electoral malpractice should be dealt with through legal investigations, prosecutions, and court processes, not threats of violence. The Situation Room called on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to be fair in handling election-related security and to ensure that those who commit political violence are punished.

They also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to carry out its regulatory duties transparently and according to the law. They called on political parties to improve their internal democratic processes. This comes amid complaints from opposition parties about the high costs of campaign platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.

On Thursday, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, defended the high cost of billboard advertising in Abuja. He argued that political campaigns are expensive worldwide and that parties can use social media to reach voters.