A Federal High Court in Enugu has upheld the N150 million fee imposed by ENSSAA for political campaign billboards, dismissing a suit by opposition parties challenging the agency’s authority, according to a certified true copy of the judgment.
Contrary to reports circulating on social media claiming that a Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the N150 million fee for political campaign billboards, a Certified True Copy (CTC) of a judgment shows that a Federal High Court sitting in Enugu actually upheld the powers of the Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency (ENSSAA) to prescribe the fee.
According to the CTC, Justice Mabel Segun-Bello on September 1, 2026, dismissed a suit filed by opposition parties and figures challenging ENSSAA’s authority to impose a mandatory N150 million fee on each political party seeking to erect campaign billboards or display posters ahead of the 2027 general election.
The suit, marked FHC/EN/CS/165/2026, had the Labour Party; its Enugu State Chairman, Hon. Kingsley Ugwu; the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC); NDC factional State Chairman, Engr. Ibuchukwu Obetta; the Social Democratic Party (SDP); and its State Chairman, Hon. Magnus Ezea, as plaintiffs.
Defendants included ENSSAA; its General Manager, Mr. Francis Aninwike; the Enugu State House of Assembly; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON); and the Nigeria Police Force.
The plaintiffs had argued that, by virtue of Sections 99(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution, INEC held exclusive powers to regulate electoral campaigns. They contended that ENSSAA’s imposition of the N150 million advertising permit fee was ultra vires, and that the Enugu State House of Assembly lacked legislative competence to regulate political campaign advertisements.
They sought declarations setting aside the fee, an injunction restraining enforcement, and an order directing the police to protect parties from harassment over billboard and poster placements.
In her judgment, Justice Segun-Bello held that outdoor advertising is not reserved exclusively to the National Assembly or ARCON. She ruled that it falls within the primary functions of local government and may be validly exercised by a state agency such as ENSSAA where properly delegated.
The court found that ENSSAA had established validly delegated authority to issue the February 9, 2026 directive regulating political campaign advertisements.
Justice Segun-Bello declared that it was not ultra vires the powers of ENSSAA and its General Manager to impose the mandatory N150 million advertising permit fee for the use of billboards in Enugu State. She also held that it was not ultra vires the legislative powers of the Enugu State House of Assembly to make laws regulating advertisement in the state.
The court further ruled that the directive was not an unlawful use of state apparatus to the disadvantage of political parties, contrary to Section 99(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026. All other reliefs sought by the plaintiffs were refused.
The Enugu State Government has clarified that, unlike practices in most other states, the N150 million fee applies to each political party rather than individual candidates.
Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, stated that there was no court judgment on the fee by any Federal High Court in Abuja, contrary to circulating claims.
Comparative fees in other states include Abia State’s range of N20 million for State House of Assembly candidates to N200 million for presidential candidates; Imo State’s fees from N3.55 million for House of Representatives candidates to N55 million for governorship candidates; and varying permit structures in other states reaching up to N150 million for presidential candidates.
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