At this year’s all editors Conference of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), President Bola Tinubu requests for symbiotic collaboration with the media to advance the country while backing the NGE’s proposal for media tax relief and Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption
By Udoka Ekeleme, Abuja
The President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed forces of the Federal Republic, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has solicited for a cordial relationship with the local media to move the country forward especially as it concerned the 2027 general election. Tinubu also endorsed the plethora of requests made by the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), in a bid to rescue the distressed media sector in the country.
The president’s commitment to give the media industry a lifeline was made on Wednesday, November 12, 2025 during the all editors conference of the NGE which Tinubu hosted in Abuja.
While delivering his address at the event, President Tinubu also told the editors to deploy their gate-keeping role with patriotism and fairness, warning that irresponsible reporting and misinformation could undermine national cohesion and democratic stability.
The President of the NGE, Mr Eze Anaba, had in his welcome address, raised the alarm that the present economic realities in the country had put the media in distress. Anaba lamented that the media industry was facing existential threat due to the economic realities in the country, and therefore solicited for President Tinubu’s intervention to avoid a total collapse of the media sector.
The NGE president, therefore, urged President Tinubu to grant corporate tax relief of up to ten years, Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption, tax deductions to the media, and give the industry access to affordable financing.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has said without electoral integrity, there would be no democracy.
While declaring open the 21st All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) of the NGE, at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, President Tinubu, in his response to the Guild’s requests, said: “I’ve listened to the request of President of the Guild – corporate tax relief, VAT exemption for media, tax break, affordable loans from BoI (Bank of Industry), establishment of development grants for digitisation, repeal laws that inhibit press freedom.
“You know, I, as your President, endorse your proposal. Media and safety data will be out soon.”
He said jokingly, “your request is in my pocket.”
President Tinubu urged the editors to use their watchdog role with fairness and patriotism, adding that criticism of government must not come at the expense of national unity or the country’s global image.
He also urged the editors to exercise their gate-keeping role with patriotism and fairness, warning that irresponsible reporting and misinformation could undermine national cohesion and democratic stability.
The President said he acknowledged the media’s historic role in national awakening and democratic resistance, but cautioned that cynicism and unverified claims now posed significant threats to national unity.
President Tinubu recalled the outrage that greeted his early economic reforms, particularly foreign exchange liberalisation and removal of arbitrage, but maintained that the policies were necessary to curb corruption and lay the foundation for long-term economic recovery.
Tinubu said, “When I assumed office and removed the arbitrage to stop corruption and strengthen the economy, you all dealt with me but today, we should celebrate that progress is being made. The days of darkness are ending; the economy is on the path to improvement.”
The President further reiterated his administration’s commitment to restoring macroeconomic stability, attracting investment, and improving citizens’ well-being, even as the reforms remained demanding.
Tinubu applauded the Nigerian media’s courage during the military era, honouring journalists who endured intimidation, detention and hardship in defence of national ideals.
“Journalism in Nigeria has been more than a profession, it has been an instrument of national awakening. Their sacrifices form part of the foundation upon which our democracy rests,” Tinubu added.
The President, however, reminded editors that their decisions would shape national mood and perception, especially in the era where social media have quickened the spread of misinformation. He said, “Verification must be your anchor. Balance must be your principle. Criticise government policy, but do so with knowledge and fairness. Let your aim be to help build, not destroy.”
While noting that dissent was natural in a diverse country, Tinubu warned that disagreement must never erode national cohesion.
“Debate is part of our reality, but disagreement must never translate into weakening national unity. The national interest must be paramount,’’ Tinubu said.
On national security, the President acknowledged threats from terrorism and banditry but expressed confidence in ongoing efforts by security forces to checkmate them. In this regard, President Tinubu said, “We are challenged by terrorism and banditry, but our forces are inspired. They put their lives on the line to defend our sovereignty”.
Tinubu also advised editors to remain conscious of how they portray Nigeria to the global community, insisting that, “This is our country, how we project Nigeria to the outside world matters. Let us choose clarity over confusion, responsibility over recklessness, and hope over despair.”
Meanwhile, earlier in his welcome address, President of the NGE, Mr. Anaba, raised concerns about the worsening financial state of the Nigerian media, warning that many organisations were on the brink of collapse due to soaring operational costs.
He noted that the price of a ton of newsprint had risen to between N1.3 million and N1.4 million, lasting only a few days.
According to him, this is a trend that has left newsrooms overwhelmed by rising production expenses.
Anaba said, “The media today is distressed. Many organisations simply cannot pay salaries, not because they are incompetent, but because the cost of production has become prohibitive. If the media cannot keep journalists employed, it cannot inform citizens; and without an informed citizenry, democracy is weakened”.
To save the media industry from imminent collapse, the Guild proposed five to ten years corporate tax relief for media companies; VAT exemptions on essential inputs; tax credits for corporations advertising in verified Nigerian outlets; and low-interest loan windows through the Bank of Industry and Development Bank of Nigeria to support equipment upgrades and digital migration. It also called for a Media Innovation Fund to support online platforms, data journalism and multimedia storytelling.
Anaba stressed that the proposed interventions were not acts of patronage but safeguards for democracy.
“When the press thrives, democracy breathes. When the press is stifled, democracy suffocates,” he said, urging the Federal Government to act swiftly.
In his keynote speech, the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, reminded the editors about the providential words of Stephen Ward, a leading scholar of journalism ethics, who stated that “journalism objectivity is both an epistemic and an ethical principle.”
He said objectivity was not simply neutrality and not the mechanical transcription of events as if such transcription were even possible.
He also said editors would not be bystanders in the 2027 elections but catalysts whose narratives would shape the nation’s democratic future.
The governor said editors wielded immense influence in shaping national perception and must be accountable for the narratives they promote, particularly during election seasons.
Uzodinma said, “You are not spectators in 2027; you are catalysts. The narratives you shape will determine whether Nigerians see the elections through a tribal lens or a shared national destiny”.
