President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured the Nigerian media industry of his administration’s backing in its campaign to secure fair revenue from global technology companies, promising policy measures aimed at reducing the financial pressure currently facing media organisations.
Speaking during an inter-faith dinner with a delegation of the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) at the State House in Abuja, the President described the press as an indispensable partner in Nigeria’s democratic growth and economic stability.
Tinubu said the Federal Government recognises the crucial role of the media in sustaining democracy and pledged support for the industry’s advocacy against what media stakeholders describe as the dominance and anti-competitive practices of major technology companies.
“You have the government’s full support because we understand the importance of the work you do for the sustenance of democracy,” the President told the delegation.
He added that the government would support evidence-based advocacy from the media industry while taking steps to address fiscal policies and what he described as “digital cannibalisation,” which many local media organisations believe is threatening their survival.
As part of efforts to ease the economic burden on media houses, Tinubu revealed that the Federal Government is reviewing the country’s tariff exemption list and may extend relief to key materials used in media production.
Items under consideration for tariff waivers include newsprint, printing plates, chemicals used in printing, as well as broadcast equipment for radio and television stations. These items currently attract tariffs ranging from five to ten per cent.
If approved, the materials would be granted a status similar to educational and research materials, allowing media organisations to import them with little or no tariff.
The President’s pledge comes at a time when many media organisations across the country are struggling with rising operational costs, particularly the high cost of newsprint and broadcasting equipment.
Earlier, Deputy President of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and Publisher of BusinessDay, Frank Aigbogun, spoke on behalf of the NPO delegation, highlighting concerns about the activities of global technology firms.
Aigbogun said some tech companies have been “scraping” proprietary content from Nigerian media platforms to train artificial intelligence systems, sometimes by bypassing digital paywalls.
According to him, the practice has significantly reduced revenue available to local media organisations, depriving them of a substantial portion of their legitimate earnings.
He called on the Federal Government to direct the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to collaborate with industry stakeholders to investigate the matter.
Aigbogun warned that the growing dominance of global tech companies and their alleged anti-competitive practices are costing Nigerian media organisations as much as 70 per cent of potential revenue. He noted that the losses amount to hundreds of millions of dollars and have contributed to job losses across the media sector.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed that the Federal Government has already initiated discussions with leading technology firms, including Meta and Google, over the concerns raised by the Nigerian media industry.
“The government will not allow anyone to operate in our economy, benefit from it, and leave without giving back,” the minister said.
He emphasised that the administration remains committed to creating a fair digital environment that protects local media organisations and content creators.
The NPO delegation was led by its President and Publisher of The Guardian Nigeria, Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru.
Other media leaders present at the meeting included veteran publisher Sam Amuka-Pemu; Chairman of Channels Television, John Momoh; Chairman of THISDAY Newspapers and Arise News, Nduka Obaigbena; Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, Saliu Abdulhamid Dembos; and President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba.
Also in attendance were former NPAN President Ray Ekpu, President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, Danlami Nmodu, and President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi.
Vice President Kashim Shettima and several senior presidential aides also attended the meeting.
The engagement follows an earlier statement issued by the NPO in January warning that the growing influence of global technology platforms poses a serious threat to the survival of Nigeria’s media industry.
Tinubu Pledges Support for Nigerian Media’s Demand for Fair Revenue from Global Tech Companies
