Strengthen federalism, scrutinise states, LGs, Tinubu tasks media Says local govts now have funds, must be held accountable FG moving to confront Big Tech interference threatening media survival Govt in ongoing engagement with Google, Meta over industry concerns – Idris President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday urged Nigeria’s media industry to help deepen the country’s federal system by shifting greater attention to the activities of state and local governments, insisting that development must be driven at all tiers of governance. The President made the call while hosting leaders of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) to an interfaith breaking of the Ramadan and Lenten fast at the State House, Abuja. Addressing the gathering of media executives and editors, Tinubu said the recent reforms that guarantee direct funding for local governments have created a new opportunity for grassroots development, adding that the press must play a critical role in ensuring accountability at that level. “We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money. But how they use it is in your hands. Don’t bombard me alone; look out to the local government too,” the President said. He added that state governments are also benefiting from improved fiscal space and must be scrutinised accordingly. “Equally, the sub-nationals are enjoying the freedom. Today, there is no state that is borrowing to pay salaries of employees,” he said. The President emphasised that governance and national progress require collective responsibility among leaders, institutions and citizens, noting that the media remains an indispensable partner in nation-building. “We can complain that it is not enough. We can complain we are not where we should be, but we have to manage what we have to sustain today, survive tomorrow and make progress. It is a collective responsibility, you, myself and those people that we assign,” Tinubu said. Read Also: Tinubu sets up presidential task force to deepen petroleum sector reforms The President acknowledged the challenging operating environment facing media organisations but commended journalists and publishers for their role in informing and educating the public. “There is no morning that I leave my house without going through the papers,” he said, describing newspaper reading as an “addiction” that keeps him abreast of national developments. Tinubu also reflected on the early criticisms that greeted some of his administration’s major economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy, explaining that difficult decisions were necessary to prevent economic collapse. “At the time we had to confront the subsidy; Nigeria was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Leadership comes with the responsibility of making decisions when they ought to be taken; otherwise, it is a failure”, he said. The President said that despite the initial hardships that followed the reforms, the country has begun to stabilise economically. “Today I can stand proudly before you that we are back from that brink,” he said, recalling a period when Nigeria struggled with soaring inflation, exchange rate instability and debts owed to international airlines. Tinubu also used the occasion to address growing concerns about the impact of global technology companies on the traditional media industry. He said the Federal Government would support initiatives designed to protect Nigeria’s media ecosystem and ensure that the country does not lose value to external digital platforms. The President referenced local initiatives such as Lekeelekee, a digital media platform being supported by Nigerian media entrepreneur Nduka Obaigbena, as examples of innovation that deserve encouragement. “Don’t mind the screaming sometimes. I’m glad the Duke is sponsoring Lekeelekee while we are talking about Google and external interference in our affairs. “We will run with the stick with you and say ‘Nigeria we hail thee.’ We will survive the challenges”, Tinubu said. Earlier, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris said the Tinubu administration recognises the critical role of the media in sustaining democracy and national development. He disclosed that the Federal Government has already begun engagement with major technology companies such as Meta and Google over their impact on Nigeria’s media industry. “All the regulatory agencies are already engaging the big tech, Meta and Google. The President will not allow anybody to come here, reap from our economy and go away”, the minister said. Idris also assured media leaders that the administration remains firmly committed to press freedom. “At no time has the President ever called me to say go and do this or go and do that to the press. He is himself a product of press freedom”, he said. The minister noted that government initiatives such as the student loan scheme, improved foreign reserves and stabilising economic indicators demonstrate progress under the current administration and require sustained public understanding and engagement. Also speaking on behalf of the Nigerian media industry, the co-founder and publisher of BusinessDay, Frank Aigbogun, thanked the President for hosting the gathering and for his support for a vibrant and economically sustainable media. Aigbogun said the media industry came to the meeting as partners in national development and raised concerns about rising operational costs and the existential threat posed by global technology platforms. He appealed for government intervention on tariffs affecting the importation of newsprint, broadcasting equipment and other critical materials used by media organisations. “We appeal for your gracious intervention to ensure exemptions for tariffs on newsprint, ink and other materials essential to our operations,” he said. The publisher also warned that big technology companies and artificial intelligence platforms are increasingly undermining the business models of traditional media organisations. “AI firms are able to generate summaries of content from our websites, meaning the work produced by journalists ends up bringing little value back to the organisations that created it,” Aigbogun said. He urged the Federal Government to allow Nigerian media organisations to work with relevant regulatory bodies to address the challenge and negotiate fair compensation frameworks with global technology companies. The dinner formed part of President Tinubu’s engagements with stakeholders during the Ramadan and Lenten season, underscoring the administration’s continued outreach to institutions considered central to Nigeria’s democratic and developmental processes.