President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured that his administration will support the evidence-led campaign by the Nigerian media against Big Tech dominance, anti-competitive practices, and the economic challenges affecting local media organisations.
The president described the press as an indispensable partner in Nigeria’s pursuit of economic stability, press freedom, and social cohesion. Speaking at a meeting at the State House on Friday, he said the government would help dismantle fiscal barriers and what he described as “digital cannibalisation” currently threatening the survival of the press.
The assurance was given during an interfaith dinner with a high-level delegation from the Nigerian Press Organisation led by its President and Publisher of The Guardian, Maiden Alex-Ibru.
Members of the delegation included industry leaders and patrons such as Olusegun Osoba, publisher of Vanguard Newspapers Sam Amuka, Chairman of THISDAY/ARISE News Channel Nduka Obaigbena, Chairman of Channels Television John Momoh, Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority Saliu Abdulhamid Dembos, former President of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria Ray Ekpu, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors Eze Anaba, President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers Danlami Nmodu, and President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi, among others. Also present were executive members of NPAN, managing directors of media houses, senior media professionals across platforms, and representatives of civil society.
President Tinubu said his government was reviewing the tariff exemption list and would consider including media production items such as newsprint, plates, chemicals, and radio and television broadcast equipment, which currently attract tariffs of between five and ten percent.
If implemented, the items would enjoy a status similar to educational and research materials. With the media industry facing rising costs for newsprint and equipment, the president signalled readiness to intervene by reviewing tariffs. “You have the government’s full support, because we know how important your work is to the sustenance of democracy,” the president said.
Earlier, Deputy President of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria and Publisher of BusinessDay, Frank Aigbogun, speaking on behalf of the NPO, accused some technology companies of increasingly “scraping” proprietary creative content to train artificial intelligence models, often by breaching digital paywalls.
Aigbogun requested that the president direct the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to collaborate with the media industry in investigating complaints that Big Tech dominance and anti-competitive practices were costing local media organisations at least 70 percent of their legitimate income, estimated by some sources at hundreds of millions of dollars, alongside job and opportunity losses.
Before the president’s response, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the government had already begun engaging major technology companies, including Meta and Google. “The government will not allow anybody to come here, reap from our economy, and go away without giving back,” he said.
Among other dignitaries present at the meeting were Vice President Kashim Shettima and several senior aides and special advisers to the president. The engagement followed a letter written by the Nigerian Press Organisation to the government in January highlighting concerns about what it described as the existential threat posed by Big Tech operations to local media organisations.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has directed the Renewed Hope Ambassadors to distribute rice across all states of the federation to support citizens observing the Ramadan and Lenten seasons.
Governor of Imo State and Director-General of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Hope Uzodimma, disclosed on Sunday that the directive aims to assist Nigerians during the ongoing religious observances.
He said the initiative is intended to strengthen national unity and demonstrate compassion during a period of deep spiritual significance for both Muslims and Christians.
According to him, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors will coordinate the distribution through their nationwide grassroots network to ensure families across the country benefit from the intervention during the fasting period observed by both religious communities.
“It is worth noting that a similar intervention was carried out during the last Christmas season, when rice was also distributed to support Nigerians celebrating the festive period. This continued effort reflects the administration’s consistent commitment to standing with citizens during important religious and cultural seasons.
