County identifies 832 illegal structures as Assembly committee probes revenue leakages
NAIROBI, KENYA — Nairobi County is losing an estimated KSh205 million every quarter in outdoor advertising revenue due to illegal billboards, county officials have told the Nairobi County Assembly Planning Committee.
The disclosure was made during a meeting between the committee and officials from the county’s planning and outdoor advertising departments as legislators examined compliance and revenue collection in the sector.
Outdoor Advertising Sector Head Duncan Nasengo said the county has identified approximately 832 illegal billboards, compared with about 1,100 regularised advertising structures operating across the city.
Nasengo attributed the slow pace of enforcement partly to limited capacity, saying some illegal structures are re-erected shortly after being demolished.
“We have tried bringing down about five billboards a day, but when you return the following day, you find they have already been erected again. However, we are working to address the challenge,” Nasengo said.
Planning Committee Chairman Geoffrey Majiwa raised concerns over alleged collusion between some county officers and advertisers, saying the practice could be contributing to revenue losses.
He questioned how removed structures could repeatedly return without possible assistance from officials responsible for enforcement.
“These illegal billboards will never be removed if those tasked with enforcement continue working with the advertisers. You remove five today and tomorrow they are back. Someone is collecting money that should be going to the county,” Majiwa said.
The committee called for stronger enforcement and measures to address alleged revenue leakages within the outdoor advertising sector.
It also directed the Planning Sector to lift a moratorium on new outdoor advertising applications, arguing that the restriction was pushing legitimate advertising activity outside the formal regulatory framework.
“The Committee further directs the sector to immediately remove the moratorium that was placed by the Executive so that Nairobians can continue getting these services legally,” Majiwa said.
The committee said it will continue scrutinising the outdoor advertising sector as part of efforts to improve compliance, strengthen enforcement and protect county revenue.