2027 Campaign Billboards: How States Are Pricing Opposition Out of Sight

Less than three months before Nigeria’s January 16, 2027 presidential election, several states are charging tens or hundreds of millions of naira for campaign billboards and posters. Abia has the highest rate at 200 million naira per presidential candidate; if applied across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, permits would cost 7.4 billion naira, or 74% of the presidential spending cap. The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and its candidate, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, are challenging Abia’s fee in the state’s High Court, while other parties say the charges disadvantage opposition campaigns. No hearing date has been announced, and no court has ruled on the fees’ legality.