President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerian journalists to prioritize accuracy, responsibility, and professionalism over sensationalism and the pursuit of viral content, warning that rights come with duties in a democracy.
Speaking at the maiden State House Media Dinner on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in Abuja, the President described the media as both “partner and adversary” to government, saying the constitutional role of the press is to question power while upholding truth and national stability.
“I am an apostle of a free press. I have defended and advocated for the rights of the media throughout my public life and will continue to do so,” Tinubu said. “But where there is enormous power, there should be accountability and responsibility. The ethics of the profession must be considered sacred.”
‘Democracy Demands Tension’
Tinubu acknowledged the “certain level of tension” between government and media as necessary for democracy, noting: “Government must act. The media must watch. Government must explain. The media must question.”
He said he remains both “a lover and a long-time supporter of the Nigerian press,” but cautioned against headlines that swing from “Tinubu Scores Big” to “Tinubu Loses Grip” without context. “Did the media do its homework? Did it provide citizens with the context, analysis, and insight required to understand what changed? Or are we increasingly drifting towards the old newsroom creed: ‘If it bleeds, it leads’?”
Warning on Misinformation, Deep Fakes
The President expressed concern over “misinformation, disinformation, fake news, voice and facial cloning and deep fakes,” calling them “drawbacks of the social media age.” He urged practitioners not to be “willing couriers of falsehood or unverified information injurious to national security.”
“Freedom of expression is not freedom to defame. Freedom of the press is not freedom to deliberately mislead,” he said. “The media must choose fact over falsehood. The media must choose substance over sensation. The media must choose credibility over clickbait and the endless race for followers, likes, and viral outrage.”
Tinubu referenced existing laws including the Cybercrimes Act, stating they are “not intended to weaken press freedom” but to protect citizens from “malicious falsehoods, cyberstalking, identity theft, and other abuses.”
Reaffirms Press Freedom, Cites Constitution
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee freedom of expression and task the media with holding government accountable. He also cited the Freedom of Information Act as key to transparency.
Lists Reforms, Security Gains
The President said Nigeria is undergoing “one of the most ambitious periods of reform in its history,” citing stabilising economy, strengthened public revenues, higher state allocations, returning investor confidence, improved foreign reserves, and stock market growth.
On security, he said military operations have intensified, intelligence gathering improved, and “thousands of criminal elements and terrorists have been neutralised.” He added that “numerous hostages have been rescued” and communities reclaimed.
Calls for Partnership
“Let us replace needless hostility with constructive engagement. Let us replace sensationalism with professionalism. Let us replace the pursuit of outrage with the pursuit of truth,” Tinubu said, calling the media “critical partners in national development.”
He apologised for the delay in hosting the dinner, blaming “the frenetic pace of work and the constant shifting of schedules.” He assured journalists of continued access and resources to do their jobs.
The event, described as the first State House Media Corp Presidential Dinner, is expected to become a “cherished tradition,” according to the President.
