The government has been urged to support the Nigerian media in discharging their constitutional responsibility of holding the rulers accountable to the people by boosting their economic sustainability through tax relief, among other measures.
In welcoming guests to the 21st All Nigerian Editors Conference, which opened at the State House, Abuja on Wednesday, the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Eze Anaba, in order for the media to survive as a business while performing its role as development partners, President Bola Tinubu should consider corporate ta relief, Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption on media inputs, tax deductions for media advertisers, access to affordable financing, and digital transmission and information grants.
Eze explained: ‘Temporary tax relief (for five –10 years) will enable media houses to stabilize, meet operating costs, and sustain their watchdog role.
‘In recognition of its social responsibility, the media should be exempt from VAT on essential tools and equipment — a practice already in place in countries like Canada, India, and South Africa.
‘Incentivize large corporations to advertise in verified Nigerian media outlets through tax credits will redirect revenue to local journalism, strengthening investigative reporting and reducing reliance on foreign grants.
‘We call for the establishment of a low-interest loan scheme through the Bank of Industry or the Development Bank of Nigeria, to help media organisations upgrade equipment, expand reach, and create jobs.
‘A media development fund should be established to support the digital transformation of Nigerian media — promoting corpirate online platforms, data journalism, and multimedia storytelling. To avoid political interference, such a fund should be managed by an independent board.’.
The NGE President also called on the government to repeal laws that inhibit press freedom. ‘We had already undertaken an exercise to identify these laws and we had also presented a proposal to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Constitution Review Committee of the House of Representatives in this regard’.
The Guild also sought seek state-sanctioned protection of journalists carrying out legitimate work from arbitrary arrests or misuse of cybercrime laws.
‘Towards this end, we propose the establishment of a Media Freedom and Safety Charter — endorsed by the Presidency, approved by the Legislature, and upheld by the Judiciary and the NGE’, Eze said.
He added that the development of Nigeria’s rural communities is key to national growth. ‘We must bring the underserved rural areas and conflict zones into our daily news narrative — to balance our currently urban-centred reporting’, he said.
Eze, who described President Tinubu as ‘a committed advocate of the Fourth Estate of the Realm’, said that the NGE also requested that his administration should ‘recognise journalism as a public good deserving of targeted fiscal incentives, legal protection, and developmental support — not for patronage, but to strengthen the foundations of our democracy’.
He said that building a ‘cohesive, democratic Nigeria is a shared responsibility’, and that it ‘requires constructive engagement among the media, government, civil society, and the private sector’.
He enjoined: ‘Your Excellency, we appeal to your administration — and indeed to all tiers of government — to see the media as partners in progress, not adversaries.
‘A free, responsible, and vibrant press remains the lifeblood of democracy. When the press thrives, democracy breathes. When it is stifled, democracy suffocates. When journalists are respected, protected, and granted access to information, governance becomes more transparent and citizens better informed.
The Guild also acknowledges our partners and sponsors who continue to support our work. Your collaboration sustains this conference and strengthens our shared mission of national development.
He said that the NGE remains steadfast in its commitment to ethical journalism, continuous professional development, and the defence of press freedom.
