By Austine Agbo Emmanuel, Kaduna
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday, has charged Nigerian editors to uphold truth, fairness, and national interest in their reportage, stressing that the survival of democracy depends on the integrity of public conversation and the responsibility of those who shape it.
Declaring open the 21st All-Nigeria Editors’ Conference in Abuja, the President recalled the fierce media criticism that greeted his early economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the exchange rate, but said the measures were necessary to rescue the economy from years of inefficiency and rent-seeking.
“When I look back at the time I first announced the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the exchange rate and the way many of you in the media dealt with me then, I can only smile today,” Tinubu said.
“Those bold steps were necessary to confront corruption and inefficiency. Today, we can say the tunnel of darkness is beginning to show light.”
The three-day conference, themed “Democratic Governance and National Cohesion: The Role of Editors,” has brought together over 400 editors, media executives, and communication experts from across the print, broadcast, and online sectors.
President Tinubu affirmed his administration’s commitment to a free and responsible press, announcing plans to introduce policy incentives to safeguard media sustainability, including tax reliefs, access to single-digit loans, and digital transformation grants.
“We will consider corporate tax reliefs, VAT exemptions for media services, and development grants for digitization. I have endorsed these proposals in principle,” the President said.
He urged editors to report boldly but truthfully, emphasizing that national interest must always remain the compass of journalism.
“Criticize government policies, but do so with knowledge, fairness, and national interest at heart. Your aim should never be to destroy what we are building together, but to help build a stronger and better Nigeria.”
Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, who delivered the keynote address, urged editors to reflect on how their coverage can either strengthen or weaken democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He reminded participants that throughout history, the media has been a central pillar of governance, describing it as the “last man standing” in the defence of democracy and public accountability.
“In the past, governance revolved around the monarchy, the aristocracy, the clergy, and the media. In modern democracy, it revolves around the executive, the legislature, the judiciary, and the press. In both eras, the media remains the last man standing,” Uzodinma said.
Citing the Barometer which showed that only 51 per cent of Nigerians trust the media, the governor warned that sensational and divisive headlines erode public confidence in democratic institutions.
“If your coverage leads citizens to believe elections are fundamentally rigged, legitimacy erodes and democracy weakens, regardless of what happened at the polling units. Electoral integrity begins with editorial integrity,” he stated.
He urged journalists to embrace nationalism and patriotism in framing narratives, stressing that “division may sell papers, but it destroys nations.”
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described President Tinubu’s participation as a historic milestone, noting that it was the first time a sitting President would attend an Editors’ Conference since Nigeria’s return to democracy.
“Mr. President’s presence is a powerful testament to the esteem in which this administration holds the Fourth Estate of the Realm,” the minister said.
Idris also announced that Nigeria had secured hosting rights for the first-ever UNESCO International Media and Information Literacy Institute to be established in Abuja, describing it as global recognition of the country’s commitment to press freedom.
Earlier in his welcome address, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Eze Anaba, warned that the Nigerian media industry is on the brink of collapse due to rising production costs and declining revenues.
“A ton of newsprint now costs between ₦1.3 million and ₦1.4 million. Many media houses are struggling to pay salaries. Without sustainability, our constitutional duty becomes impossible,” Anaba said.
He appealed to the President to help preserve existing media jobs through targeted policy support and fiscal interventions.
Anaba emphasized that editors must continue to “defend the sanctity of truth, insist on transparency, and hold power to account not as adversaries, but as constructive partners in nation-building.”
Also in attendance were former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd), Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, former Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, veteran journalist, Bayo Onanuga, and several royal fathers.
Throughout the opening session, NewsDirect gathered that the survival of Nigeria’s democracy depends on a media that informs, unites, and holds power accountable without inflaming divisions.
Tinubu’s pledge to support media independence and industry survival was received with applause, as participants expressed optimism that the conference would renew public trust in journalism and strengthen democratic governance ahead of the 2027 elections.
