President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday urged members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) to uphold the highest standards of journalism while contributing to nation-building and the sustenance of democracy.
Speaking at the 21st All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) 2025 held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, President Tinubu said his administration would consider the Guild’s requests for media tax relief and other incentives to support press sustainability.
“This conversation is necessary as we continue to build institutions that are transparent, resilient and trusted by our citizens,” he said.
“Report boldly, but do so truthfully. Critique government policy, but do so with knowledge and fairness. Your aim must never be to tear down, but to help build a better society.”
The president acknowledged the role of journalism in Nigeria’s history, noting that the media had served as an instrument of national awakening from colonial times through military rule.
He warned against misinformation in the age of social media and urged editors to prioritise verification, balance and professional judgement.
Tinubu also spoke on national security, assuring Nigerians of his administration’s commitment to restoring peace and progress.
He called on all sectors, including civil society and the private sector, to work with the media to promote unity and reason.
Responding to the guild’s appeal for government incentives, the president said his administration would look into fiscal, legal and policy measures to enhance media operations and safeguard press freedom.
Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris described Tinubu’s attendance as the first by a sitting president at an NGE annual conference.
He said the government had ensured a free environment for media practice, noting that no media house had been shut down under the current administration.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who also spoke at the event, urged editors to promote electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said the media must take responsibility for shaping public trust in democracy.
“When every disagreement is framed as a crisis and every electoral challenge treated as systemic fraud, you feed polarisation and deepen distrust,” Governor Uzodimma said.
President of the Guild, Eze Anaba, appealed to the federal government for corporate tax reliefs, VAT exemptions and access to financing for media organisations.
He also proposed the creation of a Media Development Fund to support digital transformation in newsrooms.
“Editors must defend the sanctity of truth, insist on transparency, and hold power to account, not as adversaries of government, but as constructive partners in the pursuit of national progress,” he said.
The two-day conference, themed “Democratic Governance and National Cohesion: The Role of Editors,” continues on Thursday at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre, Abuja.
