…Pledges tax relief, policy support for media sustainability
Our Reporter, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerian editors to exercise their watchdog role with courage and fairness, urging them to report boldly and criticise constructively in the collective effort to build a stronger and more united nation.
Speaking on Wednesday at the 21st Annual Conference of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (ANEC 2025), held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, President Tinubu said his administration would consider the Guild’s requests for fiscal incentives, legal protection, and other forms of government support to ensure the sustainability of the Nigerian media.
The event, themed “Democratic Governance and National Cohesion: Role of Editors,” brought together media leaders, state governors, and policymakers to deliberate on the role of the media in strengthening democracy.
President Tinubu commended the Guild for its steadfast commitment to national development and democracy, describing journalism as an essential pillar of Nigeria’s progress.
“Journalism in Nigeria has always been more than a profession — it has been an instrument of national awakening,” the President said.
“From early newspapers that fought colonial injustice to courageous editors who kept hope alive under military rule, the press has stood for truth and freedom.”
The President challenged editors to remain guided by integrity, verification, and professionalism in an age of misinformation.
“Social media has made every citizen a potential publisher,” he noted.
“Falsehood can take root before truth has time to speak. Verification must be your anchor; balance must be your principle; and professional judgment must be your guide. Report boldly, but truthfully. Critique government policy, but with fairness and knowledge.”
President Tinubu acknowledged the nation’s current security and economic challenges, but assured Nigerians that his administration is resolute in restoring peace, prosperity, and stability.
He also emphasised the shared responsibility of all national institutions — including the media, private sector, and civil society — in fostering unity.
“Let us choose clarity over confusion, responsibility over recklessness, and hope over despair,” he urged.
“The stories we tell ourselves as a nation shape the country we become.”
Earlier, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, commended President Tinubu for physically attending the NGE conference — the first sitting President to do so. He described the gesture as a demonstration of the administration’s respect for the media and its role in democracy.
Idris noted that the government had maintained a liberal media environment.
“Under President Tinubu’s leadership, no media house has been threatened, gagged, or shut down for expressing dissent,” he said.
“This is a deliberate commitment to press freedom.”
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who chairs the Progressive Governors’ Forum, also addressed the gathering, urging editors to take responsibility for promoting electoral integrity and national unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Editors are not bystanders,” Uzodimma said.
“Your framing of political events affects cohesion, voter confidence, and trust in democracy. When every disagreement is portrayed as a crisis, you feed polarisation.”
He expressed concern over the growing mistrust in the media, citing the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer which revealed that 49 per cent of Nigerians distrust news outlets.
“This is deeply alarming,” he warned.
In his remarks, NGE President, Eze Anaba, appealed to President Tinubu to grant tax incentives, VAT exemptions, and access to affordable credit facilities for struggling news organisations.
He also called for the establishment of a Media Development Fund to support digital innovation and newsroom transformation, managed independently.
“Editors must continue to defend truth, uphold fairness, and hold power to account — not as adversaries, but as partners in progress,” Anaba stated.
