The Federal Government on Tuesday restated its commitment to fighting fake news and disinformation without policing or silencing the press.
The government also reaffirmed its commitment to balancing national security with the protection of press freedom.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris reiterated these positions at the 2025 Conference and Annual General Meeting of the International Press Institute (IPI) in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports, the meeting themed: “Addressing Media Repression and Safeguarding Democratic Accountability in Nigeria” was organised by IPI with support from stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, the minister narrated a recent event which demonstrated the Tinubu administration’s “restraint, transparency, and principled defence of the information space”.
Idris recalled a widely circulated false report that claimed Nigeria had entered an agreement obligating it to adopt LGBTQ+ rights.
He said in addressing the delicate issue, the government chose openness over coercion, presented the facts to the public and engaged independent media regulators to ensure the misinformation was neutralised without undermining press liberty.
Idris narrated: “Recently, a major national publication circulated a dangerously false story alleging that a sovereign national agreement compelled Nigeria to adopt LGBTQ+ rights.
“Such disinformation deliberately exploits sensitive cultural and religious fault lines, posing a direct threat to national cohesion by manufacturing a crisis between state policy and deeply held public values.
“The President Bola Tinubu’s administration categorically rejected the old playbook of coercion, which would only have inflamed tensions.
“Instead, we pursued transparency, immediately publishing the full, unadulterated agreement to demonstrate its content had no such provisions, issuing detailed rebuttals, and engaging the public directly”.
He added: “We channeled the complaint through the independent media ombudsman, respecting its self-regulatory mechanism.
“The result was that a potent falsehood, capable of sowing significant discord, was disarmed by the power of facts and an unwavering commitment to democratic dialogue over division.
“This episode demonstrated our restraint and resolve to protect both social harmony and the press from the corrosive effects of disinformation.
“It is in this spirit that Nigeria has been selected to host the regional Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Institute”.
According to the minister, Tinubu’s administration operates on the fundamental principle that a sure-footed, critical, and independent press is the central nervous system of a functioning democracy.
He said the federal government recognised that a free press is the amplifier of an engaged citizenry, on which premise it is actively working to ensure that journalists can perform their constitutional duties.
Idris further explained that the security agencies were operating under stricter protocols to respect the rights of journalists in conflict zones and during civil demonstrations.
The minister restated government’s commitment to work with IPI, Nigerian Guild of Editors and Nigeria Union of Journalists to eview regulatory frameworks to protect free speech and public good.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of IPI Global Network, Scott Griffen, said the media is at the moment of global change.
He underscored the need to navigate the change for better future of journalism.
Griffin commended IPI Nigeria on its achievements and the meeting, adding that the IPI Global has been fighting and supporting journalism for about 75 years.
Those in attendance included the Managing Director of NAN, Malam Ali M. Ali, Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Malam Jibrin Ndace.
Others were officials from Presidency, members of the IPI Nigeria, NUJ, NGE and other stakeholders from the media.
