President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged to review tariffs affecting newspaper and broadcasting materials in a move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s media industry.
The President gave the assurance on Friday at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, where he hosted leaders of the Nigerian media, including representatives of the Nigerian Press Organisation, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, Nigerian Guild of Editors, and the Nigerian Union of Journalists.
Tinubu commended media owners, editors and journalists for their role in informing and educating the public, noting that the sector also provides employment and livelihoods for thousands of Nigerians.
The President acknowledged that his administration had taken difficult but necessary decisions to stabilise the nation’s economy, stressing that leadership requires making timely and responsible decisions.
He stated that the reforms undertaken by his government were aimed at rescuing Nigeria from severe economic challenges, including rising inflation, foreign exchange instability and financial obligations.
On the request for government intervention on tariffs affecting the media sector, Tinubu assured stakeholders that the concerns raised would be examined and addressed where necessary.
He also encouraged the media to continue demanding accountability and development from all levels of government, noting that reforms by the Federal Government have increased financial resources available to states and local governments.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris expressed confidence in the President’s leadership and urged journalists to continue playing their constitutional role responsibly while holding public officials accountable.
Also speaking, former Ogun State governor and Grand Patron of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Olusegun Osoba, commended Tinubu’s administration for introducing policies aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s economy.
Meanwhile, President of the Nigerian Press Organisation and publisher of BusinessDay, Frank Aigbogun, appealed for government intervention on import tariffs affecting newsprint and broadcast equipment.
Aigbogun also urged the Federal Government to protect Nigerian media organisations from the growing influence of global technology companies that utilise editorial content from local media platforms without compensation.