President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has committed to reviewing and addressing the high tariffs on newsprint and broadcasting equipment to bolster the media industry’s ability to fulfill its constitutional mandate.
Speaking during a high-level meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian media at the State House on Friday, the President emphasized that a vibrant press is essential for national development and democratic accountability.
The delegation included representatives from the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Navigating Economic Recovery
Reflecting on the early days of his administration, President Tinubu acknowledged the difficulty of the reforms implemented to stabilize the economy. He noted that the nation was facing a dire financial outlook, including significant debts to international airlines and galloping inflation, before his team intervened.
“I accepted my predecessor’s assets and liabilities because I applied for the job and was given the job. If anybody tells you it’s easy, it’s a lie. We had to save the nation and bring it back from the brink. Today, I can stand proudly before you and say that we are back from the brink,” President Tinubu declared.
The President thanked the media for their constructive criticism during the transition period, stating that the pressure from the press served as an inspiration to make the necessary corrections to the nation’s trajectory.
Commitment to Industry Support
Responding to specific pleas regarding the rising costs of media production, the President assured the stakeholders that their concerns regarding import duties would be revisited. He noted that while immediate actions are being processed, he remains dedicated to ensuring the media remains a viable employer for thousands of Nigerians.
“We discussed issues of tariffs this afternoon. If I missed taking action in the areas that affect you, I will go back to rectifying whatever was necessary,” the President promised, signaling a potential policy shift to lower the cost of entry for media hardware and consumables.
Accountability Beyond the Federal Level
President Tinubu also used the forum to urge the press to expand its watchdog role to include state and local governments. He pointed out that federal reforms have significantly increased the revenue flowing to the federating units, and as such, the media must demand service delivery and transparency at all levels of governance.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, echoed this sentiment, charging practitioners to hold every tier of government accountable to the people.
Concerns Over Big Tech and Revenue
Earlier in the meeting, Mr. Frank Aigbogun, Publisher of BusinessDay and President of the NPO, raised the alarm regarding the survival of local journalism. Beyond tariffs, he called for federal intervention against Big Tech companies that aggregate and profit from Nigerian editorial content without providing fair compensation.
Elder statesman and NPAN Grand Patron, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, also lauded the President’s transformative policies, specifically citing the National Single Window and the Nigeria Revenue Service as pivotal tools for boosting the nation’s financial profile.
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