By joshua BEYOND THE OUTCRY: WHY KOSSA’S NEW CAMPAIGN FEE POLICY IS ABOUT ORDER, FAIRNESS AND A CLEANER KOGI
By Abu Micheal
The announcement by the Kogi State Signage and Advertisement Agency, KOSSA, of new fees for the mounting of political campaign materials ahead of the 2027 elections has generated loud debate. Presidential, Senatorial, House of Representatives, Assembly, Chairmanship and Councillorship candidates have all been listed, and the figures have drawn criticism from political parties, candidates, and some rights advocates.
But beyond the initial reaction, a critical look at the policy shows an agency trying to solve a real problem: how to bring order to our roadsides, protect public aesthetics, ensure safety, and create a level playing field, without shutting the door on democracy.
Every election season, Kogi’s major highways, roundabouts and city centers are taken over by billboards, banners, flags and posters. After elections, many remain, faded, torn, and in some cases, dangerous.
The General Manager of KOSSA, Richard Osaseyi, explained this during an advocacy visit by the Executive members of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Kogi Chapter, led by Ismaila Isah.
According to Osaseyi, KOSSA adopted a “home grown model” that reflects Kogi’s peculiarities. “We have to ensure that our activities fall in line with what is obtainable in the state,” he said. “Our job is to regulate, sanitize, and ensure that signage adds value, not visual pollution, to our environment.”
He also thanked Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for supporting the agency to carry out its mandate.
Critics have called the fees outrageous. But when juxtaposed with the actual cost of mounting and maintaining campaign materials across the state for a Presidential, Senatorial, Representatives, Assembly and Chairmanship candidate, the picture changes.
Industry data shows that a single 48-sheet billboard in a prime Lokoja or Okene location costs between ₦1.2 million and ₦2.5 million per quarter to rent, print and mount. Add lighting, security and maintenance and the cost goes higher.
Against that backdrop, KOSSA’s one-time campaign fee is a fraction of the total campaign budget. It is not designed to stop candidates, but to ensure that those who mount materials take responsibility for them, pay for the use of public space, and remove them after use.
A review of other states shows that campaign signage regulation is standard practice. Lagos State Signage Agency, LASAA, charges between ₦250,000 and ₦1.5 million depending on size, location and duration for political adverts.
Oyo State and Ogun State have similar fee structures and enforcement teams that pull down unapproved materials.
FCT charges per square meter and insists on removal bonds.
Compared to these, Kogi’s structure is not out of line. In fact, KOSSA’s approach is aimed at being more predictable and less disruptive than the ad-hoc demolition exercises we have seen elsewhere.
Regulated signage reduces accidents caused by distracted drivers and prevents illegal structures on road setbacks. A cleaner Kogi is also a more attractive Kogi for investors.
The modest revenue generated goes back into maintaining our cities, street lighting and environmental sanitation. It is not about taxing democracy, it is about managing shared space.
As NIPR Chairman, Ismaila Isah, noted during the visit, KOSSA in a short time has brought professionalism to advertising regulation in the state. Partnering with NIPR, he said, will help project the agency’s image and educate the public.
A regulated system ensures that money, not noise, determines visibility. Small parties and candidates are protected from being drowned out by illegal and oversized materials.
But following the public outcry, KOSSA has agreed to convene a stakeholders’ dialogue with political parties, candidates, media and civil society to review the fee schedule and implementation guidelines.
That is the mark of a listening government, one that regulates with a human face.
As the NIPR delegation stated, the goal is not confrontation but collaboration. “There is a dire need to partner the institute in order to project the image of the Agency to the people of the state,” Isah said.
Democracy and order can coexist. KOSSA’s policy is not an attempt to stifle campaigns. It is an attempt to manage them responsibly.
When we compare the cost of one billboard to the KOSSA fee, when we compare Kogi to Lagos and Abuja, and when we consider the long-term benefit of a cleaner, safer, more organized state, then the policy makes sense.
The dialogue ahead will refine it. But the principle stands: public space belongs to all of us, and those who use it for political advantage must also help keep it.
As Governor Ododo’s administration continues to deliver in health, education and infrastructure, KOSSA’s work ensures that the visual face of Kogi matches the progress on the ground.
Abu Micheal, ANIPR,