President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured stakeholders in Nigeria’s media industry that his administration will examine concerns surrounding tariffs on materials used in newspaper publishing and broadcasting, with a view to strengthening the sector’s capacity to perform its constitutional responsibilities.
The President gave the assurance on Friday during a meeting with leaders of the Nigerian media at the State House in Abuja. Those present included representatives of key industry bodies such as the Nigerian Press Organisation, Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, Nigerian Guild of Editors and the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
During the engagement, the President praised media proprietors, editors and journalists for their role in informing the public, promoting civic awareness and providing employment opportunities across the country. He emphasised that effective leadership requires taking difficult but timely decisions in the interest of the nation.
According to Tinubu, his administration inherited significant economic challenges but has remained committed to implementing reforms aimed at stabilising the country. He acknowledged that some of the early decisions taken by his government were tough but necessary to prevent deeper economic distress.
The President noted that the nation has made progress in addressing those challenges and expressed appreciation to the media for constructive criticism and engagement since the beginning of his administration. He described the press as a vital partner in strengthening democratic governance.
Responding to requests by media stakeholders regarding import duties on newsprint and broadcasting equipment, Tinubu said the concerns raised during the meeting would be reviewed and appropriate steps taken where necessary.
He also urged the media to continue holding government institutions accountable at all levels while promoting development and responsible governance across the federation, especially as reforms have increased financial allocations to states and local governments.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who was present at the meeting, expressed confidence in the President’s leadership and commitment to national progress. He encouraged media practitioners to maintain professionalism while fulfilling their oversight responsibilities.
Also speaking, veteran journalist and former Ogun State governor Olusegun Osoba, who serves as Grand Patron of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, applauded the administration for policy initiatives aimed at boosting government revenue and strengthening the economy.
Meanwhile, Frank Aigbogun, publisher of BusinessDay Media Limited and president of the Nigerian Press Organisation, commended the President for maintaining open engagement with the media community. He also appealed for government intervention on import tariffs affecting the industry and urged authorities to protect the jobs of Nigerian journalists from the growing dominance of global technology companies that use locally produced editorial content without compensation.
The development was disclosed in a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, dated March 13, 2026.