Vice President Kashim Shettima has affirmed that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is a staunch ally of the Nigerian media and remains dedicated to safeguarding and advancing the journalism profession.
Hosting a delegation from the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at the Presidential Villa, Shettima assured the body that Tinubu has a long track record of supporting the media and will continue to uphold the integrity of the profession.
“In President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you have a friend, an ally, and a proprietor who has been kind to the Nigerian media over the years,” he stated.
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“I want to assure you that this administration will do its best to promote, project, and preserve the interests of the journalism profession. You are the life wire of the nation — we can’t afford to muzzle you.
Shettima emphasized the significant role of journalists, placing the profession almost on par with the judiciary in its responsibility to hold public officials accountable and adjudicate on governance issues.
He described the media as the “conscience of the nation” and stressed that authorities must not intimidate them, as they are indispensable to democracy’s survival.
Shettima acknowledged the financial hardships facing media organisations, with many struggling to pay staff salaries, and promised that Tinubu would continue to render support to prevent the profession from failing.
He also briefly defended the recent removal of fuel subsidies, characterising it as a necessary measure taken in the national interest to reposition the Nigerian economy.
Earlier in the meeting, NUJ National President, Alhassan Abdullahi, outlined several critical demands for the Shettima’s consideration, urging him to use his office to defend press freedom and prevent journalists from being penalized for executing their constitutional duties.
The union outlined several key initiatives aimed at strengthening press freedom and media sustainability in Nigeria.
It proposed a comprehensive review of colonial-era laws, particularly sections of the Criminal and Penal Codes that currently criminalise journalism, while advocating for the decriminalisation of libel.
The union also called for the establishment of a national safety protocol for journalists, to be developed in collaboration with security agencies, to safeguard reporters while covering news events.
In addition, it urged the creation of a media support framework through partnerships with the government, which would provide training grants, soft loans, tax relief, and targeted bailouts for struggling media organisations.
To enhance professionalism, the Union sought collaboration with institutions such as TETFUND to improve training standards across the industry.
It proposed the establishment of a Permanent Government–Media Liaison Platform under the Vice President’s Office, designed to facilitate regular engagement, ensure policy clarification, and combat misinformation.
The NUJ President commended the Tinubu administration for its bold reforms and firm support in national development despite current economic difficulties.
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He pledged the media’s support for the government’s development agenda but affirmed the press’s fundamental right to speak truth to power for the continuity of democracy.
In response to the demands, Shettima assured the NUJ leadership that he would table all their requests, including those concerning press protection and the review of libel laws, before Tinubu.
