• Cardinal Onaiyekan, Osigwe, Yadudu, Okunna, Kperogi, Oloja, Lakemfa to speak at conference
Vice-President Kashim Shettima is expected to declare open the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Enugu on Thursday, 24 September 2026.
The two-day conference, the flagship annual gathering of the Guild, will take place at The Dome, International Conference Centre, Opara Square Road, Enugu, beginning at 2pm on Thursday and continuing on Friday, 25 September.
The conference will focus on the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” with a sub-theme examining how artificial intelligence is being used to create and spread disinformation around elections.
In a statement signed by the NGE President and General Secretary, Eze Anaba and Onuoha Ukeh respectively, the Guild said Shettima would address participants on the conference themes and other issues relating to democracy, elections, press freedom and national development.
Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, is also expected to speak at the gathering.
More than 500 editors from across Nigeria are expected to attend, alongside government officials, academics, civil society representatives and other stakeholders.
According to the Guild, the conference will provide a forum for discussions on national and international issues with significant social, economic and political implications.
Speakers and key sessions
His Royal Majesty, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, will chair the conference, while the former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, is scheduled to deliver the keynote address.
Professor Auwal Yadudu of the Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano, will speak on “Public Trust, Electoral Justice and Democratic Stability”.
The immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, will examine “Election Petitions in the Digital Age: Independence, Evidence, BVAS and the Courts”.
The conference will also feature discussions on the challenges of reporting terrorism and the responsibilities of journalists in covering security-related issues.
Journalist, public speaker and former Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian Newspapers, Martins Oloja, and newspaper columnist and activist Owei Lakemfa will speak on “Reporting Terrorism Without Becoming a Tool for Terrorists”.
Professor Chinyere Okunna, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Paul University, Awka, will address “Neutrality, Professionalism and Election Security in Democratic Governance”.
Dr Richard Okoye, Founder and Chief Medical Director of Save A Life Hospital, Port Harcourt, will focus on the welfare of journalists in a session titled “The Human Side of Journalism: Managing Stress, Deadlines and Personal Wellbeing”.
Farooq A. Kperogi, Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media at Kennesaw State University, Georgia, United States, will examine the conference’s AI and disinformation sub-theme, with particular attention to identifying and countering false information before, during and after elections.
Editors to engage political, government leaders
The second day will feature an Executive Session scheduled for 12.30pm, during which editors will engage governors, political party leaders and heads of government agencies and parastatals on matters of national importance.
The Guild said the conference was designed to enable editors and other stakeholders to consider practical ways of strengthening democratic governance, promoting national development and supporting nation-building through responsible journalism.
It said participants would also examine challenges facing democracy and consider the role of the media in supporting credible elections, rebuilding public trust and strengthening democratic values.
The NGE said the 2026 ANEC is supported by the Enugu State Government, UNESCO, Craneburg, NNPC, Zenith Bank, NCC and other partners.
