Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Cross River State Signage and Advertisement Agency (CRISSAA), has announced the advertisement rates for political billboards and campaign advertisements across the state
The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Director General of CRISSAA, Ubong Sam, during an interactive session with members of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), in Calabar, the State capital.
Sam said under the new rate structure, presidential campaign advertisements will attract N150 million, governorship N100 million, senatorial N50 million, House of Representatives N25 million and House of Assembly N5 million.
The agency said the new rate structure was designed to regulate political advertising, promote issue based campaigns and ensure compliance with existing advertising guidelines.
He added that political parties and candidates seeking to mount campaign billboards and other advertising materials must submit them to the agency at least 21 days before installation for necessary checks and approval.
The Director General described the rates as moderate, and were determined after consultations with relevant stakeholders and in consideration of prevailing economic realities.
“Our rates are moderate and reflect present economic realities. We arrived at them in synergy with critical stakeholders. It is not targeted at anyone and is meant to allow multiparty campaigns towards the 2027 elections,” Sam said.
Also speaking on the occasion, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter Party Affairs, Nkoyo Otu, described the rates as friendly and encouraging.
He enjoined political parties and their supporters to embrace mutual understanding and respect, saying this would contribute to peaceful electioneering as the 2027 elections draw closer.
The IPAC Chairman in Cross River State, Engr. Effiong Edet, said opposition parties in the State were satisfied with the rates given the prevailing rates from other states.
Edet urged political parties to comply fully with the agency’s regulations to maintain a peaceful political atmosphere ahead of the general elections.
However, the 2023 governorship candidate of Labour Party in Cross River, Ogar Osim, who is also the party’s State Chairman, called for a review and further reduction of the rates.
Osim acknowledged that the rates were relatively moderate, but argued that a downward review would encourage wider political participation, particularly in view of the prevailing economic situation in the state.
The interactive session was attended by the state Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Emmanuel Inyang, who represented the party chairman, Rt. Hon. Chris Etta, alongside representatives of most opposition political parties in the state.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was absent from the meeting.
