As the Anambra State governorship election campaigns officially commenced on June 11, 2025, the Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency (ANSAA) announced that all 16 governorship candidates, including incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo, must each pay a statutory fee of N50 million before they can display campaign posters, billboards, branded vehicles, and conduct other outdoor campaign activities across the state.
ANSAA Managing Director and CEO, Tony Ujubuonu, stated at a press briefing in Awka that this fee is mandatory and payable to the Anambra State government account. The permit granted by this payment authorizes candidates to deploy campaign materials such as posters, public address systems, banners, fliers, T-shirts, caps, street rallies, and other promotional activities in all 21 local government areas of Anambra. Ujubuonu emphasized that the fee is not targeted at any political party but aims to maintain professional standards, prevent visual pollution, ensure orderliness, and create a level playing field for all contestants.
The agency, established by law in 2010 to regulate outdoor advertising and signage in the state, also requires that all campaign materials intended for outdoor display be vetted by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to avoid sanctions or removal of unapproved materials. Only licensed advertising practitioners registered with ARCON are authorized to erect and manage billboards and other advertising structures in Anambra.
The N50 million fee per candidate totals N800 million expected to be collected from all candidates. However, the directive has sparked controversy among opposition parties. The Labour Party and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have criticized the fee as a tactic to limit opposition campaigns, alleging it favors the ruling APGA party. Labour Party candidate Chief George Moghalu dismissed the fee, suggesting enforcement would be difficult, while APC elders expressed concerns about transparency and fairness.
Campaigns for the November 8, 2025, governorship election are now underway under guidelines from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with the fee requirement marking a significant regulatory step in the state's political advertising landscape.
