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Vice President Kashim Shettima has described Nigerian journalists as the nation’s primary defence against authoritarianism, insisting that press freedom remains a non-negotiable pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking on Tuesday at the 2025 Conference and Annual General Meeting of the International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria in Abuja, Shettima praised the media for playing a stabilising role in moments of national anxiety, particularly by correcting misinformation and holding leaders accountable.
He reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to ensuring a safe environment for media practice.
“We owe you a space of practice devoid of harassment, intimidation, or fear. That much is non-negotiable. As a government, we must continue to create an environment where truth can thrive without obstruction and where the work you do is protected rather than policed,” he said.
Shettima noted that Nigeria’s media landscape has historically resisted attempts to stifle dissent, stressing that no government has ever succeeded in permanently suppressing the press.
“It is impossible, utterly impossible to have a successful dictator in Nigeria. Never in our history has any person or government succeeded in suppressing the media permanently,” he stated.
The Vice President also commended journalists for resisting foreign information manipulation and refusing to be instruments of disinformation.
“You have stood firmly against disinformation and refused to surrender your pens to falsehoods or foreign puppeteers. This honourable stance sets you apart.
“I stand before you today not as a wary politician, but as a friend, one who acknowledges your indispensable role and assures you that this administration respects, and will continue to protect your right to freedom of expression.”
However, Shettima urged journalists to uphold ethical standards, warning against the rising trend of fabricated stories and refusal to issue corrections when confronted with facts.
He called for a renewed commitment to verification over virality and patriotism over cynicism.
“You have stood firm in the coldest nights of national adversity and outlived those who attempted to place their boots upon your freedom. You have been the life-size mirror of our nation, reflecting us not as we wish to be seen but as we truly are,” he noted.
He added that any nation that silences its press becomes one where public officials lose direction and citizens lose their voice.
Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to strengthening press freedom and independent journalism.
He said media-government relations were being redefined under Tinubu and Shettima, whom he described as among Nigeria’s most media-friendly leaders.
Idris emphasised that the administration operates on the principle of an independent press, acknowledging that a free press is vital to an engaged and informed citizenry.
He added that government agencies, security and regulatory operate under strict protocols during civil demonstrations, stressing that the administration remains focused on balancing national security with media freedom, especially in addressing misinformation and related challenges.
He assured that the government’s approach “is not a retreat into control but the creation of mechanisms for dialogue and ethical responsibility.”
