Balanced reporting holds key to northern economic growth — Idris

By Precious Mark

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris has declared that the future of Northern Nigeria will be shaped more by the quality of the stories told about its people than by its physical infrastructure projects like roads, farms, or industries.

Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural Arewa Media Summit on Monday in Kano, Idris challenged media professionals to intentionally dismantle one-sided narratives that reduce the region to a hub of insecurity. Instead, he urged journalists to aggressively spotlight the region’s economic frontiers, tech innovators, and agricultural breakthroughs.

“The future of Northern Nigeria will not be determined only by the quality of our roads, our farms or our industries. It will also be shaped by the quality of our ideas and the stories we tell about ourselves,” the Minister said while delivering his keynote address.

The Minister pointed out that while digital tools have boosted communication and economic growth, they have also accelerated the dangerous spread of fake news online.

“Falsehood often travels faster than truth. That is why professional journalism has never been more important. Credible journalism must continue to stand for accuracy, fairness, verification and responsibility,” Idris emphasized.

To combat this trend, the Minister revealed that the federal government has established the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI) and launched the Digital Switch Over (FreeTV) platform to help journalists maintain high professional standards.

Idris reaffirmed that the Bola Tinubu administration is fully committed to protecting press freedom.

He noted, “We remain committed to upholding press freedom as a pillar of democracy and to creating an enabling environment where journalists can carry out their duties professionally.”

He also stated that the federal government is driving development across the region through major initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda, including the newly established Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), and the Four Legacy Highway Projects.

Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Public Enlightenment, convened the summit.

The high-profile event brought together top leaders, including Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Executive Governor of Kano State; Idi Mukhtar Maiha, the Minister of Livestock Development; Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy; and Dada Olusegun, the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media.