President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday called on Nigerian editors to safeguard democracy through responsible journalism, emphasizing integrity and fairness in an era of rampant misinformation and digital disruption.
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Speaking at the 21st All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) at the State House, Abuja, themed “Democratic Governance and National Cohesion: The Role of Editors,” Tinubu positioned the media as a vital “stabilizing force” for national unity.
“The freedom secured through struggle is not self-sustaining. It requires constant vigilance and responsible exercise,” Tinubu declared. “A democracy is sustained not only by elections and laws, but also by the integrity of public conversation.” He praised the Nigerian press for its storied resilience, enduring “intimidation, detention, and personal hardship” in defense of justice, while cautioning that the digital age has supercharged falsehoods. “Falsehood can take root before truth has time to speak,” he warned, urging editors to anchor their work in verification, balance, and professional judgment.
Tinubu stressed constructive criticism over cynicism, noting, “Criticism, when informed and constructive, is a service to the nation. But cynicism that breeds mistrust and despair can weaken the very foundations of the society we all seek to improve.” He reaffirmed his administration’s economic reforms, aimed at restoring macroeconomic balance and fostering investment, amid visible progress in key sectors. Yet he underscored the need for broader collaboration. “Nation-building requires cooperation. It requires trust. The media has a distinct responsibility to help shape a climate of reason and unity.”
The conference, which drew editors, senior journalists, policymakers, traditional rulers, and media executives, also spotlighted the precarious state of Nigeria’s media ecosystem. Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) President Eze Anaba issued a stark plea to Tinubu’s administration and the National Assembly for urgent fiscal and legal interventions to prevent the collapse of media houses under soaring costs and threats. “When the press thrives, democracy breathes; when the press is stifled, democracy suffocates,” Anaba said, invoking Section 22 of the Constitution, which entrusts the media with upholding government accountability.
Anaba unveiled a five-point “rescue package” to bolster media sustainability:
Corporate tax reliefs for 5 to 10 years to stabilize operations.
VAT exemptions on essentials like newsprint, plates, and broadcast equipment, mirroring policies in Canada, India, and South Africa.
Tax credits for corporations advertising in credible Nigerian outlets to fund investigative journalism.
Low-interest loans via the Bank of Industry or Development Bank of Nigeria for equipment modernization and job creation.
A media development fund for digital transitions, overseen by an independent board to promote data journalism while shielding newsrooms from political meddling.
Highlighting the crisis, Anaba noted that a ton of newsprint now costs N1.3 million to N1.4 million and barely lasts a press cycle, threatening salaries and journalistic independence. He also demanded a “legal reset,” including repealing repressive laws, submitting the Guild’s review to the Minister of Information, and establishing a Media Freedom and Safety Charter to protect journalists from arbitrary arrests and ensure information access.
Anaba tied these pleas to the sub-theme “Electoral Integrity and Trust Deficit: What Nigerians Expect in 2027,” calling on editors to reject hate speech, prioritize underserved communities and conflict zones, and rebalance “urban-centered” coverage. “The pen must never be a tool for division, but for healing and bridge-building,” he asserted, crediting ANEC, evolved from a 2004 initiative into Nigeria’s premier editorial forum, for two decades of national discourse.
Echoing concerns over misinformation, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and Information Minister Mohammed Idris had earlier warned of its destabilizing potential. Mohammed likened digital falsehoods to colonial-era press suppression, questioning, “Artificial intelligence now creates headlines, but who checks the heart behind them?” Idris, via aide Bayo Onanuga, labeled unchecked fake news a “ticking bomb that could set the nation ablaze,” amid rising public distrust.
Conference co-chair and ThisDay/Arise Media Group Chairman Prince Nduka Obaigbena amplified the digital peril, decrying how AI and U.S.-China dominance in content distribution threaten African narratives. “We are confronted by a world where one or two countries control digital content distribution,” Obaigbena said. “If we do not innovate, Africa will be left on the margins of a digital economy run by others.”
In a bold move, he announced the January 1 launch of Lakeleke, a homegrown social media and content platform to counter Western and Asian tech giants. “This is not for Arise or ThisDay alone. All of us must take responsibility to build technology and algorithms that reflect African realities,” Obaigbena urged, calling for a media-government coalition to combat poverty, insecurity, and disinformation while investing in AI-resilient tools.
Reflecting on progress, Obaigbena contrasted the event with 30 years prior, when editors faced military intimidation under Gen. Sani Abacha in the same venue. “Today, we are back here under democracy, engaging freely with the President. That is progress.” He warned against economic backsliding from external pressures like U.S. sanctions, insisting, “We must protect the current economic stability with everything we have.”
As sessions delved into electoral integrity, countering misinformation, and journalism economics, Tinubu closed with a charge: “Your work matters. The tone you set in your newsrooms will all help shape the direction of our national journey.” With 2027 elections looming, the conference underscored the media’s pivotal role in rebuilding trust and cohesion in Nigeria’s diverse democracy.
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