President Bola Tinubu has pledged to review import tariffs affecting newsprint and broadcasting equipment, acknowledging concerns raised by media executives about the financial pressures on the industry. The announcement was made during a meeting with media leaders at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday.
President Tinubu commended the media for its role in informing the public, shaping discourse, creating jobs, and sustaining democratic accountability. He linked support for the sector to broader national recovery efforts, noting that his administration’s difficult economic reforms were necessary to stabilise the country. “Leadership must, as a matter of responsibility, make decisions at the best time,” he stated, adding that constructive media criticism had strengthened his resolve.
The pledge follows specific appeals from media stakeholders. Chief Olusegun Osoba, Grand Patron of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), praised the government’s economic reforms, including the establishment of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and the National Single Window initiative, which aim to boost revenue. However, he and others stressed the need for tariff relief on essential materials.
Mr Frank Aigbogun, President of the Nigeria Press Organisation (NPO), directly requested presidential intervention on import duties for newsprint and broadcast equipment. He highlighted an additional threat: global digital platforms utilising Nigerian media content without compensation, which jeopardises jobs and industry sustainability. “Many international digital platforms utilise editorial content… without compensation,” Aigbogun warned.
President Tinubu assured the group that their concerns would be addressed. “We discussed the issue of tariffs earlier today… I would certainly go back to rectify whatever is necessary to ensure fairness and support for the media industry,” he said. He also urged journalists to extend their oversight to state and local governments, noting that federal reforms had increased resource flows to sub-national tiers.
The meeting, attended by leaders from NPAN, the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), the Nigeria Guild of Editors, and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), was briefed by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who emphasised the need for professional journalism in holding governments accountable.
The government’s stated commitment to review tariffs comes amid persistent industry challenges, including high production costs and digital competition. Observers note that reducing import duties on newsprint and equipment could lower operational costs for publishers and broadcasters. Addressing uncompensated content use by global platforms may require new regulatory or policy approaches.
For Nigeria’s media, which plays a vital constitutional role, the outcome of this review could impact financial viability and operational capacity. The president’s pledge signals an intent to engage with these structural issues, linking media health to national democratic and economic stability. Further details on the timeline or scope of the tariff review were not immediately provided.
