Vice President Kashim Shettima; Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu; and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris are among distinguished figures who will lead conversation on the economy and security, as the 20th edition of All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) starts in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on Wednesday.
Others include National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; and President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Barrister Dele Kelvin Oye.
In a statement on Sunday by the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Eze Anaba; and General Secretary, Dr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the professional body of editors and media executives said that the Chairman/Editor-In-Chief, THISDAY/Arise Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena will chair the conference.
‘’Former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba; Founder/Publisher of Vanguard newspapers, Mr. Sam Amuka-Pemu; Publisher of BusinessDay, Mr. Frank Aigbogun; Senior Vice Chairman/Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP newspapers, Mr. Azu Ishiekwene and other media experts will be speaking on strategies for viable/sustainable media financing, opportunities and challenges in Al-generated storytelling, and other emerging issues in global journalism practice’’, the NGE further said.
The Guild further explained that some critical institutions in the private and public sectors, and Non-Governmental Organisations would also be making presentations at the annual conference scheduled for 7 to 9 November.
Giving background to this year’s ANEC, which will attract over 350 editors and media executives across the country, the NGE explained that since the present government came on board on 29 May 2023, its agents had consistently argued that the Federal Government had been pursuing audacious reforms to reconstruct macro-economic situations it met on ground, for stability and development.
According to the editors, the government’s “argument is that the petrol fiscal subsidy was moderately jettisoned initially, and foreign exchange reforms had led to the unification of the markets and a market-reflective exchange rate.
‘’They have also argued that in order to assuage the inflationary effects of these reforms on the most vulnerable, the government had been implementing temporary cash transfers to reach over 15 million households, with efforts also being made to tighten monetary policy and refocus the Central Bank of Nigeria on its core mandate of maintaining price stability.
‘’However, in spite of these efforts by the Federal Government and having the largest economy and population in Africa, many experts say that Nigeria offers limited opportunities to most of its citizens, especially as Nigeria is currently ranked the seventh lowest human capital index in the world, and weak job creation while many workers choose to emigrate in search of better opportunities’’.
Justifying the conference’s theme, ‘Economic Growth and Development Strategies in Resource-Rich Country’, the Guild said that, while the poverty rate is put at about 40 per cent – with an estimated 88 million Nigerians living below the poverty line – the exchange rate, inflation and swelling energy prices remain huge concerns to many Nigerians and global community.
“To address these economic challenges and achieve development, there is a near consensus among all stakeholders that Nigeria needs to push for a wide-ranging and comprehensible set of policies and strategies that will address both the short-term and long-term issues”, the NGE added.
On media viability and sustainability, the professional body of editors stated that there is a growing view that media stakeholders should come out with mechanisms to support the media industry – for individual publishers and the sector as a whole, by ensuring they receive fair compensation for the use of their intellectual property and content.
According to the statement, “the argument is that mechanisms should adjust to evolving market conditions and boost the likelihood that publishers can build diverse revenue streams.
“It is within this context that this year’s ANEC will focus on strategies and policies aimed at addressing the challenges of the nation’s economy and the media space. Key experts, actors and players – from various sectors – will be invited to start a conversation on the best possible way out of these challenges”.
The annual conference, which was initiated in 2004, will also witness the induction of 12 new editors.
