KMA to Introduce Digital Billboards, Tighten Outdoor Advertising Rules from 2027

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is set to begin replacing traditional static billboards with digital advertising boards from 2027 as part of measures to modernise outdoor advertising and improve order across the metropolis.

Kumasi Mayor, Richard Ofori Boadi Agyemang, announced the plan during an engagement with 28 registered advertisers in the metropolis.

According to the Mayor, the existing billboard system has become increasingly disorganised, with advertising structures of varying sizes erected indiscriminately along major roads.

He said the situation negatively affects the aesthetics of Kumasi and, in some instances, creates potential obstructions for motorists and pedestrians.

“For a city to thrive, there must be order,” he said.

Under the new policy, the KMA plans to reduce the number of advertising structures across the city while introducing clearer standards on their size, design and placement.

The Assembly will determine the number of billboards permitted along designated stretches and establish specific requirements for major roads and strategic locations.

The new guidelines will cover key areas including the Airport Roundabout, Sofoline, Ahodwo and Bekwai Roundabout. Separate specifications will also apply to the Kumasi Zoo, Kejetia and the Central Business District.

The Mayor further announced that the KMA will not permit billboards along the Ahodwo-Santasi stretch until the ongoing road dualisation project is completed.

He also warned that the Assembly will remove old and dilapidated billboards, as well as advertising structures belonging to operators with outstanding payments.

The transition to digital advertising boards is expected to bring greater uniformity to outdoor advertising while contributing to a cleaner and more organised cityscape.