NGE TAKES MEDIA LAW REFORM TO THE MINISTER — TIME TO DUMP DUSTY LAWS!

NGE TAKES MEDIA LAW REFORM TO THE MINISTER — TIME TO DUMP DUSTY LAWS!

Abuja, July 9, 2025 — The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) just dropped a media law makeover blueprint at the office of the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, at Radio House, Abuja. Leading the charge was NGE’s Deputy President, Dr. Sabastine Abu, with the Chairman of the Review Committee, veteran journalist, activist and lawyer,Richard Akinnola, formally handing over the reform blueprint.

The NGE is calling for a sweeping cleanup of Nigeria’s media laws — many relics from colonial and First Republic days — that still tie journalists’ hands and muzzle free speech. While the Guild agrees media freedom isn’t absolute and supports keeping Section 59(1) of the Criminal Code (which tackles false news causing public panic), it wants outdated and overlapping laws like the sedition sections, the 1966 Defamatory Act, and parts of the Cybercrimes Act tossed out.
The message? Let’s ditch these legal cobwebs and give journalists breathing room to do their job without fear.

Info Minister Idris congratulated the fresh NGE leadership and promised the government’s ears are open — though not all recommendations will get a green light immediately. He pledged to rally top government players, including the National Assembly, to give the proposal the attention it deserves.
He also threw down a challenge: media folks should keep it responsible and patriotic. On a bright note, UNESCO has agreed to back Nigeria as the first host of a major media literacy initiative (pending approvals), aiming to tackle fake news head-on.

The Minister urged the press to highlight government wins instead of just spotlighting banditry and terrorism. It’s a call for synergy, respect for security forces, and a reminder that good news deserves airtime too.

It may interest you to note that Nigeria’s media operates under a patchwork of old laws, many designed to stifle dissent. The NGE’s reform push aims to modernize these rules, balancing freedom with responsibility, and reflecting today’s digital realities.

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