N150m Billboard Levy: Court Rules in Favour of Enugu Opposition Parties
Federal High Court suspends enforcement of disputed campaign advertising charges until after the 2027 general elections.
A controversial N150 million campaign billboard levy imposed on opposition political parties in Enugu State has suffered a legal setback, following a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja restricting its enforcement until after the 2027 general elections.
The judgment, delivered on Thursday, October 8, 2026, followed a legal challenge by four opposition parties, which argued that the disputed charges placed an excessive financial burden on political competitors and threatened to undermine fair participation in the electoral process.
At the centre of the dispute is the Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency (ENSSAA), the state agency responsible for regulating outdoor advertising. While the court acknowledged the agency’s statutory mandate, it held that the disputed financial impositions on political campaign billboards and posters should not be enforced before the conclusion of the 2027 elections.
The legal action was initiated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP), alongside their respective state chairmen. Their originating summons, dated June 15, 2026, was filed through their counsel, Barr. Ike Ozor.
The plaintiffs challenged the legal basis for the charges, asking the court to determine whether ENSSAA and the Enugu State Government, led by Governor Peter Mbah, had the authority to impose what they described as exorbitant fees on political parties seeking to deploy campaign billboards and posters.
They maintained that the policy was capable of placing opposition parties at a disadvantage by making campaign visibility financially prohibitive.
The 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 ruling brings renewed attention to the intersection of outdoor advertising regulation, political communication and electoral fairness, particularly the financial conditions under which political parties can communicate their messages to voters.
For the advertising industry, the case also highlights the distinction between regulating outdoor advertising and imposing charges that could restrict access to campaign visibility.
With enforcement of the disputed levy halted until after the 2027 general elections, the decision marks a significant development in the ongoing debate over the regulation and cost of political advertising in Enugu State.
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