The Kogi State Government has imposed a ₦150 million fee on presidential candidates for campaign signage and promotional materials ahead of the 2027 elections, prompting the Peoples Democratic Party to condemn the policy as excessive, disproportionate and undemocratic.
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 ahead of the 2027 general elections and the October 2026 local government elections.
The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, disclosed this in Lokoja after stakeholders met with operators in the signage and advertising sector, 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 ₦150 million for campaign signage and related promotional materials across the state, while Senatorial candidates will pay ₦50 million.
Candidates for the House of Representatives will pay ₦30 million, while those contesting for the State House of Assembly will pay ₦5 million.
For the local government elections, chairmanship candidates will pay ₦2 million, while councillorship candidates will pay ₦300,000.
The Commissioner explained that the rates were arrived at after a peer review of applicable fees in other states, noting that the charges were 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 relevant regulations would constitute an offence, adding that 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.
wearing campaign T-shirts or caps, branding privately owned vehicles or displaying political materials on their homes and private property could raise constitutional concerns.
The PDP cited Sections 39 and 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantee freedom of expression and the right to peaceful association, including political association.
According to the party, while government may regulate commercial signage and the use of public advertising infrastructure, it must exercise caution before extending such regulation to the personal political expression of private citizens.
The PDP therefore called on the Kogi State Government to immediately review the approved fees and convene an inclusive meeting involving all registered political parties, civil society organisations, KOSSAA and other relevant stakeholders to agree on what it described as a transparent, reasonable and equitable framework.
The party maintained that legitimate regulatory fees should be fair and proportionate and should not undermine electoral expenditure limits or effectively price opposition parties and candidates out of meaningful political participation.
The PDP reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful, free, fair and inclusive elections in Kogi State, urging all political actors and citizens to continue to engage constructively in strengthening the democratic process.
