For years, campaign season was a time of celebration in media houses across Nigeria. The anticipation of political ads flooding airwaves, newspaper pages, and online platforms was a surefire way to exceed revenue targets, save for the quieter months, and pay staff bonuses. Until 2022, campaigns were limited to 90 days.
A Changed Reality
So, when the National Assembly extended the campaign season to 150 days in 2022, media professionals celebrated. Many likened the decision to extending the transfer window in football, confident it would mean more opportunities to generate revenue.
But two election cycles later, the optimism has faded. Media houses now complain that the extended window hasn’t translated to the anticipated financial windfall.
The Decline of Political Advertising
Take Ondo State, for instance, during its recent governorship election. A senior marketing manager at a leading radio station in Akure shared their frustration:
“This election has been so dry,” said the person, who asked not to be named. “Even the candidates we thought would be eager to outdo each other with ads have been unusually silent. Civil society organizations (CSOs) ended up spending more on voter education on radio than the political parties did on campaigns.”
This trend isn’t unique to Ondo. During the Ekiti elections in 2023, Joshua Adegbite, a former station manager of a prominent private radio station, described how political advertising revenue dropped compared to previous years.
“In 2018/19, we made so much money from political campaigns that we started paying salaries from the 23rd of those three months. But by 2022, there was an initial dip in adverts. By 2023, the majority of political parties waited until two weeks before the election to approve advert airing proposals.”
He added that while 150 days seemed like a blessing at first, it only extended the period of uncertainty, leaving media houses idle for most of the campaign season.
Vote Buying vs. Advertising
When asked why this shift occurred, several media executives pointed to a growing culture of vote buying.
Rather than investing in media campaigns to persuade voters, politicians are allegedly channeling funds directly to grassroots operatives and vote brokers.
“Why spend money on radio jingles or television commercials when you can guarantee results with cash handouts?” asked Ola Olalere, a media marketer quipped. “The decline in ad revenue isn’t just disappointing—it’s alarming. Media platforms are losing out, and voters are left uninformed about candidate policies.”
Another executive, Gboyega Akinsola expressed similar sentiments: “It’s disheartening. Political parties are supposed to engage with the public, but they’d rather invest in nasty operations.”
The frustration among media professionals is palpable. The extension of the campaign window has proven more beneficial in theory than in practice. While CSOs and advocacy groups have stepped up to fill the gap with awareness campaigns, the absence of political ads has left media houses scrambling to stay afloat.
“Back when we had 90 days, there was this urgency,” said Adegbite. “Parties felt the pressure to maximize every day, and that kept the money flowing. Now, with 150 days, they procrastinate until it’s too late. By then, much of the budget has already been spent elsewhere.”
For an industry that relies heavily on election-year advertising to stay viable, the future looks uncertain.
Until political parties prioritise media engagement over grassroots shortcuts, media houses may continue to lament the unintended consequences of what once seemed like a golden opportunity.
