Aso Hall, Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, the venue of the 2024 Annual Conference of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) looks ordinary, yet it is unique in many ways. Here, the cream of the journalism profession from the North, South, East and West converged to discuss issues that affect the profession.

Mr Musikilu Mojeed, IPI Nigeria President in his welcome address thanked the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris for honouring the Institute’s invitation despite having a programme in Kaduna at the same time. He promised that the Institute would continue to fight for the freedom of journalists in the country.

The Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Media Trust Group, Ahmed I. Shekarau, were re-elected President and Secretary of the Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI) at the conference.

Mojeed, Shekarau and four other officials were elected unopposed and sworn in on Thursday. They will direct the affairs of the Nigerian affiliate of the global media body for the next three years.

A statement issued by a member of the global executive board of the IPI, Raheem Adedoyin, disclosed that other members elected into the executive committee of IPI Nigeria include Fidelis Mbah of Al Jazeera Television (deputy president), Rafatu Salami of Voice of Nigeria (treasurer), Yomi Adeboye of Herald Newspaper (assistant secretary) and Tobi Soniyi of Arise News (legal adviser).

Speaking during the inauguration of the new leaders, Mojeed, who promised inclusive administration, solicited the support and commitment of members to enable his team achieve the organisation’s set objectives of enhancing the Nigerian media operating environment.

The election of new leaders was preceded by the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) where the Mojeed-led executive rendered an account of their three-year stewardship and updated members on the financial state of the body.

It was a successful conference. In his remarks, Mallam Kabiru A. Yusuf, the IPI Board Chair, and Chairman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Daily Trust said:” Our gathering showcases the importance of Press Freedom. When the Press is protected to do its work, it affects every society”.

Mallam Yusuf who noted that:” Freedom is like health which you don’t value until you lose it”, said journalists must carry the banner of freedom of others.

According to him, journalists from the South were the first to draw his attention to the arraignment of underaged #endbadgovernment protesters before those in the North carried the banner of their freedom.

In his remarks, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu observed that the Conference’s theme: “Democracy, Media Freedom, and the Imperative of Protecting Nigeria’s Civil Space”, is timely and pivotal as the country navigate the complexities of our democratic journey in an increasing interconnected and fluid civic world.

Mallam Ribadu called on the media to rise to the challenge of ensuring that journalistic practices adhere to the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.

“I also believe that the government, civil society, and the media must work collaboratively to protect Nigeria’s civic space from encroachments. Civic space is not only about freedom of expression;it is about creating avenues for dialogue, dissent and innovation that can propel our country forward”, he said.

Alhaji Mohammed Idris
In his opening remarks, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris observed that the Nigerian press is one of the most assertive and unyielding in the world, and it has always been so.

His words:” The Nigerian press has produced, over the decades, some of Nigeria’s most talented and remarkable professionals, great writers, golden-voiced broadcasters, innovative entrepreneurs, and Proprietors. But beyond the professional talent, the greatest asset of the Nigerian press has been the boldness, the fearlessness in the face of intimidation, the irrepressible capacity to speak truth to power regardless of the cost.

“This audacity helped pave the way for our independence from colonial Britain, all those decades ago. The same fearlessness helped truncate military rule and usher in the 4th republic. And since the start of the 4th republic, none of those important attributes have diminished. You can see this in the way that the press continues to hold successive governments to account and to rally around their own in difficult circumstances.

“This leads me to the concept of Media Freedom, one of the themes highlighted in the focus of this year’s IPI Nigeria Conference. It would not be controversial to assert that the Nigerian media space has been largely free since the return of democracy in 1999. Now I am not saying that there have not been challenges and threats here and there, but on the whole, Nigeria has enjoyed an openness and freedom that has seen the welcome proliferation of press organizations across print, broadcast, and digital media”, he stressed.

The Minister stressed that the civic space must be a civil space adding that:” there must be room for nuance, for healthy debate, for not always rushing to demonise those we disagree with.

At the same time, there is ample room for holding institutions to account, whether public or private. And yes, those elected and appointed to public office must always understand that they keep these offices in trust for the people and owe it to these owners to be accountable at all times. These truths can and must all coexist, if we want to forge a stronger democracy, as the foundation for the strong and prosperous Nigeria of our dreams”.

In his paper: “Democracy, Media Freedom and the Imperative of Protecting Nigeria’s Civic Space, Prof. Tonnie Iredia said there is no freedom of the Press in Nigeria arguing that what we have is freedom of speech.

Prof. Iredia who noted that Nigerian society distrusts the media said that even though there are lot of fake news in social media, it should not be ascribed to the media stressing that journalists are not purveyors of fake news.

The former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) identified organisational challenges as one of the major challenges impeding the performance of the media. “There are no resources. People forget that they have not equipped the media”, he said.

In addition, Prof Iredia said in the media, that people are hardly trained after their appointments.

He also identified ownership control as the greatest challenge stressing that there is poor deployment of men and materials and weak supervision.

In what he called contributory negligence, Prof Iredia identified self-censorship, laziness and corruption as some of the challenges faced by the media.

As a way out, Prof. Iredia said the media needs to reestablish itself. The media, he said, must uphold its ethical values.

Also, he said the media should change its old idea of presenting stories adding that to inform is not enough in what he termed the “Push factor “, but focus should be on education and follow – up approach.

He said:” Journalists Must upgrade themselves. You must ensure that your colleagues follow the ethics of the profession”.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed
In his paper:” Government Vs Media: How to reduce tension, enhance mutual understanding, and Avoid Censorship” Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the immediate past Minister of Information and National Orientation said there should be some form of regulations for the social media in Nigeria to address key challenges such as the spread of fake news, hate speech, and harmful content for children stressing that the regulation will help to ensure accountability, protect users from online abuse, and promote ethical standards.

“Let me emphasise that regulating social media is not, as some might argue, about shielding the government from criticism or stifling dissent. Rather, it is about protecting the integrity and credibility of individuals, institutions, and society at large. The unchecked spread of fake news and malicious content has, time and again, proven capable of inflicting irreparable harm on people’s reputations. Innocent individuals have seen their integrity destroyed by baseless accusations and fabricated narratives, amplified and perpetuated across social platforms.

“Consider the deeply personal consequences: marriages shattered by falsehoods that go viral in mere moments, leaving families broken. At a broader level, entire communities could be destabilized by the exploitation of social and cultural fault lines. Inflammatory content, often disseminated with the intent to incite violence or hatred, has the power to drive neighbours to take up arms against one another, unravelling the fabric of societal harmony”, he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said in this context, regulation is not about control but about protection – protection of truth, of individuals’ dignity, and of communal peace. Left unregulated, social media becomes a battleground for misinformation, where lives and relationships are collateral damage.

He said countries worldwide are implementing diverse strategies to address the challenges posed by social media platforms, recognizing their transformative power and the risks they bring. From policies focused on combating misinformation to frameworks ensuring accountability and transparency, these approaches reflect the global consensus on the need for regulation.

“Nigeria must not remain an exception. It is imperative to develop a holistic framework that reflects our unique socio-cultural and political realities while aligning with global best practices. This approach should be inclusive, involving stakeholders from the government, civil society, academia, the media, users and the private sector to ensure that the adopted policies are fair, balanced, and widely accepted”,he warned.

Speaking on how to reduce tension, Alhaji Mohammed said government is responsible for ensuring peace, security, good governance and accountability as well as economic stability within the country stressing that the scope of the government’s responsibility extends far beyond that of the media.

“While the media plays a crucial role in informing, educating, and holding power to account, the government bears the weightier task of creating an environment that allows the media in particular, and the society in general, to thrive” he said.