President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged government support for the Nigerian media’s campaign against the dominance and anti-competitive practices of global technology companies, saying his administration will back efforts to secure fair revenue for local media organisations.
Speaking during an interfaith dinner with a delegation of the Nigerian Press Organisation at the State House, the president described the press as an indispensable partner in promoting economic stability, press freedom and national cohesion. He said the government would help address fiscal hurdles and what he described as “digital cannibalisation” threatening the survival of the industry.
The delegation, led by NPO President and publisher of The Guardian, Maiden Alex‑Ibru, included prominent media figures such as Sam Amuka, Nduka Obaigbena, John Momoh and Olusegun Osoba, alongside other executives and representatives of major media organisations.
Tinubu said the government is reviewing the tariff exemption list and may include items used by media organisations such as newsprint, plates, chemicals and broadcast equipment, which currently attract tariffs of five to 10 per cent. If approved, the items would receive the same duty-free status as educational and research materials.
During the meeting, Deputy President of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, Frank Aigbogun, urged the government to direct the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to investigate alleged exploitation by Big Tech companies. Minister of Information Mohammed Idris said the government had already begun engaging companies such as Meta and Google to ensure they contribute fairly to Nigeria’s media ecosystem.
