- Public Revenue Has Risen Significantly, Foreign Reserves Strengthened, Investors’ Confidence Returning
- Nigeria Has Moved Beyond Merely Reacting To Threats, But Systematically Degrading Criminal Networks Nationwide
- Journalists Face Defining Choice Between Substance, Sensation, Credibility, Clickbait
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday delivered one of his strongest critiques yet of Nigeria’s media landscape, challenging journalists to decide whether they would stand for truth and professionalism or succumb to sensationalism, misinformation and the relentless pursuit of clicks.
Speaking at the maiden State House Media Dinner in Abuja, on Thursday, Tinubu declared that while his administration remained unwavering in its commitment to press freedom, that freedom must be exercised with responsibility, warning that fake news, deepfakes, misinformation and unverified reports now pose serious threats to democracy and national security.
In a speech laced with humour, self-reflection and sharp criticism, the President told journalists that democracy thrives on the natural tension between government and the media but insisted the relationship must never descend into deliberate distortion of facts.
“We are adversaries only in the democratic sense,” Tinubu said. “Government exists to serve the people. The media exists to watch those entrusted with power. Government must act. The media must question.”
The President described himself as a lifelong defender of press freedom, recalling his decades-long relationship with the Nigerian media, but admitted that occupying the nation’s highest office had exposed him to intense scrutiny and contradictory reporting.
Mocking what he called the inconsistency of modern headlines, Tinubu recounted reading one report praising his administration for economic expansion, only to encounter another the following day declaring that the economy had faltered under his leadership.
“Did the media do its homework?” he asked.
“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’?”
The President said today’s digital age has made professional journalism more important than ever, warning that speculation frequently masquerades as fact while allegations increasingly become headlines before evidence is established.
Reflecting on the heated political atmosphere during the 2023 election, Tinubu said rumours rapidly transformed into accepted truths, predictions became certainties and speculation often overtook verified facts.
Despite that experience, he said Nigerians ultimately distinguished between fact and fiction at the ballot box.
He therefore challenged media practitioners to embrace what he described as a defining choice for the profession.
“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 declared.
According to him, professional journalism remains the only reliable standard capable of separating truth from rumour and evidence from opinion in an era where virtually everyone with a smartphone claims to be a journalist.
He also warned that constitutional rights come with corresponding obligations.
“Freedom of expression is not freedom to defame. Freedom of the press is not freedom to deliberately mislead,” the President said.
Tinubu defended existing laws, including the Cybercrimes Act, insisting they were designed to combat malicious falsehoods, cyberstalking, identity theft and digital abuses rather than suppress legitimate journalism.
The President, however, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to constitutional guarantees protecting press freedom and freedom of expression, citing Sections 22 and 39 of the Constitution as cornerstones of Nigeria’s democracy.
Beyond the media, Tinubu used the occasion to highlight what he described as tangible gains from his administration’s sweeping reforms.
He maintained that the economy was stabilising, public revenues had risen significantly, foreign reserves had strengthened, investor confidence was returning, while the stock market and oil and gas sector were witnessing renewed growth.
On security, the President said military operations had intensified nationwide, resulting in the neutralisation of thousands of terrorists and criminal elements, the rescue of numerous hostages and the recovery of communities previously under siege.
Although acknowledging that security challenges persist, Tinubu insisted Nigeria had moved beyond merely reacting to threats and was now systematically degrading criminal networks across the country.
He concluded by urging journalists and government officials to replace needless hostility with constructive engagement, sensationalism with professionalism and outrage with truth.
According to the President, both institutions share a common responsibility to strengthen democracy and build a Nigeria where accountability flourishes, truth prevails and citizens can continue believing in the nation’s future.
