Tinubu Moves To Review Tariffs on Media Materials

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged to address tariffs on newspaper and broadcasting materials to support the growth of Nigeria’s media industry and enable it to effectively perform its constitutional role.

The President made the promise on Friday at the State House in Abuja while hosting the leadership of the Nigerian media, including members of the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Tinubu commended media owners, editors and journalists for their commitment to informing and educating citizens as well as keeping the public abreast of developments in the country.

He noted that the industry also plays a significant role in providing employment and livelihoods for thousands of Nigerians.

The President emphasised that responsible leadership requires taking the right decisions at the appropriate time, acknowledging that his administration had to make difficult choices to stabilise the nation’s economy.

“Leadership must, as a matter of responsibility, make decisions at the best time. I accepted the assets and liabilities of my predecessor because I applied for the job and was given the job. But if anybody tells you it’s easy, it’s a lie,” he said.

Tinubu said the tough decisions taken by his administration were necessary to save the nation from economic collapse.

“We had to save the nation and bring it back from the brink. Can you imagine a nation that owes airlines for ticket reimbursements and faces galloping exchange rates and inflation? Today, I can stand proudly before you and say that we are back from the brink,” he added.

Responding to requests for his intervention on tariffs affecting the media industry, the President assured the delegation that the issue would be addressed.

“We discussed issues of tariffs this afternoon. What I cannot report back here is whether I took action in the areas that affect you. But if I missed that, I will go back to rectify whatever was necessary,” Tinubu said.

He also urged the media to continue demanding accountability and improved service delivery from other tiers of government, noting that federal reforms have increased the funds available to states and local governments.

Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, expressed confidence in the President’s leadership and resilience, stating that the Nigerian media have high expectations of the administration’s capacity to steer the country toward sustainable progress.

He urged media practitioners to continue to carry out their constitutional responsibilities with professionalism while holding governments at all levels accountable.

Also speaking, the Grand Patron of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, commended the administration for implementing policies aimed at strengthening the nation’s economy.

Osoba highlighted initiatives such as the establishment of the Nigeria Revenue Service and the National Single Window policy, which he said have the potential to boost the country’s revenue profile.

He also praised the President for urging state governors to ensure that funds received through monthly federal allocations are utilised to improve the lives of citizens at the grassroots.

On behalf of the Nigerian Press Organisation, its President and publisher of BusinessDay newspapers, Frank Aigbogun, commended Tinubu for maintaining a longstanding cordial relationship with the media.

Aigbogun appealed to the President to intervene in the issue of import tariffs on newsprint and broadcast equipment, which he said are affecting the operations of media organisations.

He also called on the Federal Government to protect the jobs of journalists and safeguard the media industry from big technology companies that use editorial content from Nigerian media organisations without adequate compensation.