AKWA IBOM STATE GOVERNMENT MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENTPUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTREVIEW OF OUTDOOR ADVERTISING GUIDELINES

Further to the recently approved Akwa Ibom State Environmental Beautification Policy for Uyo Capital City ( UCC) which seeks to improve its aesthetics, promote the physical and mental health of residents, increase its tourism potentials and provide a more business friendly environment for investors, it has become necessary to review of the guidelines for Out Door Advertising in the UCC as follows:

1. SPECIFICATIONS

a. Major Roads / Dual carriageways will strictly have only unipole, digital LED, and gantry structures.

i. These can be in portrait or horizontal orientation.

ii. The affected roads are Four Lanes (edet akpan avenue), Nsikak Eduok Avenue, Airport Road (from edet akpan avenue junction to the airport), Udo Udoma Road, Goodluck Jonathan Boulevard(Stadium Road), Abak road up to Ikot Oku Ikono, Ikot Ekpene road up to Itam Junction, Wellington Bassey Road, Nwaniba Road up to Ibom Hotels and Resort roundabout, IBB Avenue, Atiku Abubakar road, and Brooks Street.

b. Super 96/48sheets will be strictly allowed in other locations. This is the minimum acceptable size

c. Consideration will be given to special locations strictly on the approval by the Ministry of Environment. These include Roundabouts, Bridges, Rooftop, Building and wall drapes, Mobile adverts, 3D billboards may be considered in special circumstances but must be duly approved by the Ministry. Spaces will be allocated strictly on first-come-first-served

2. REGULATION OF NUMBER OF STRUCTURES ON MAJOR ROADS

a. The number of outdoor installations on all major roads will be limited.

b. Advertisers are advised to use only accredited structures.

3. REVOCATION OF ALL OUTDOOR INSTALLATION APPROVALS

a. In view of these new guidelines, all existing Outdoor Advertising Installation approvals are revoked with immediate effect.

b. All existing Outdoor Advertising Installation owners are expected to remove all non-compliant structures within 3 weeks of this announcement, reapply FREE-OF-CHARGE and comply with these guidelines or forfeit ownership of the site.

c. Non-compliant existing structures will be removed at the owner’s expense.

d. Future approvals will depend on compliance to the new Outdoor Advertising guidelines.

4. ENUMERATION AND IDENTIFICATION

a. To ensure proper enumeration and auditing of Outdoor Advertising structures in the state, we are Introducing identification stickers for Outdoor Advertising installations.

b. All Outdoor Advertising structures must visibly display an identification sticker on the lower-left corner of the mainframe of the installation.

c. The stickers; which will be issued by the Ministry of Environment, will carry the registration number, phone number, and company name of the owner of the site/structure.

d. From February 01, 2021, all Outdoor Advertising structures without stickers or do not comply with the new guidelines will be removed by the Ministry of Environment.

e. Owners of such structures will be expected to refund the cost of such removal with a 50% surcharge to retrieve the structures and be considered for future approvals of request for site allocation.

5. IMPLEMENTATION

a. To ensure the effective implementation of these guidelines, the Ministry of Environment is mandated to centrally coordinate the regulation and management of every facet of Outdoor Advertising practice within the State.

i. This measure will mitigate against revenue leakages, and ensure greater accountability for the 2 tiers of government .

b. Outdoor practitioners are advised to contact the Ministry of Environment for details.c. Members of the public and advertising practitioners are please enjoined to take note.

Signed

Charles Udoh KSJI

Hon. CommissionerMinistry of Environment

Akwa Ibom State

January 06, 2021