Benue gives two-week ultimatum to owners of unauthorised billboards

The Benue State Government Signage and Advertisement Agency, the Benue State Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) and the Urban Development Board have given individuals, groups and political parties that mounted unauthorised billboards across the state a two-week ultimatum to regularise them and pay the prescribed fees.

This was contained in a statement on Tuesday by the Commissioner of Information and Orientation, Chief Solomon Iorpev.

He said the structures had been put up without permits from the Signage and Advertisement Agency, without clearance from the Urban Development Board and without payment of the prescribed fees.

Chief Iorpev said, “the practice breaches the law and deprives the State of legitimate revenue, endangers public safety, and undermines the orderly development of our towns and cities.

“We are, however, prepared to assume that many of those responsible acted out of ignorance of the law and not out of deliberate defiance.”

He said the agencies were giving everyone who had erected a billboard a grace period of two weeks, beginning Tuesday, October 6, 2026.

Chief Iorpev said that within the grace period, all owners and operators of unauthorised billboards were advised to retrace their steps and do the right thing by approaching the Benue State Signage and Advertisement Agency to begin the permit process.

He urged them to obtain clearance from the Urban Development Board and pay all required fees before any billboard was erected or retained.

“Let it be clear that there will not be another notice before enforcement which will commence on Tuesday, 20th October 2026,” he added.

Chief Iorpev said enforcement teams were expected to begin removing every billboard that had not been regularised from the set date.

He said billboards taken down would be removed at the owners’ cost and no further notice would be given.

“Anyone who ignores this window should expect no sympathy and no exception, regardless of status, affiliation or political party.

“We are a law-abiding people, and we believe every Benue citizen wants to do the right thing,” he said.

According to him, the grace period was a sign of the government’s goodwill and its preference for compliance over confrontation.

“We urge all concerned to make use of it,” he said.