THE Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has called on journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers, digital creators and communication professionals to embrace responsible, balanced and ethical journalism, stressing that the future of Northern Nigeria depends not only on infrastructure and economic investments but also on credible storytelling and responsible communication.
News Point Nigeria reports that Idris made the call on Monday while delivering the keynote address at the inaugural Arewa Media Summit held at the Government House in Kano. The summit, themed “Government-Citizen Accord: Accountability, Responsibility and Ethical Media Practice,” brought together journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers, digital creators, academics, communication professionals and policymakers to reflect on the future of media in Northern Nigeria.
According to the minister, it was a great honour and privilege to participate in the inaugural summit, as he commended the Convener, Malam Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Public Enlightenment, for assembling stakeholders from across the media and communication ecosystem to discuss the future of media practice in Northern Nigeria.
He described the summit as both timely and significant, noting that its theme could not have been more appropriate because it underscores that democracy thrives when government remains accountable to the people, citizens participate responsibly in national development, and the media performs its constitutional role with professionalism, fairness and integrity.
Idris stressed that accountability, responsibility and ethical journalism are complementary pillars rather than competing interests, saying they are essential partners in building a peaceful, prosperous and united Nigeria.
He said the future of Northern Nigeria would not be determined solely by the quality of its roads, farms or industries, but equally by the quality of its ideas and the stories it tells about itself, noting that media has evolved beyond merely observing society to becoming one of the most influential forces shaping public opinion, attracting investment, preserving culture, strengthening democracy and promoting national unity.
The minister said this reality makes conversations such as the Arewa Media Summit particularly important because Northern Nigeria occupies a unique place in the country’s national life. He described the region as home to millions of energetic young people, centuries-old institutions, rich cultural traditions, vibrant commercial centres, vast agricultural resources and one of Africa’s greatest storytelling traditions.
According to him, the way Northern Nigeria tells its story—and the way others tell it—will significantly influence investment, tourism, education, security, public confidence and national cohesion for generations.
Using Kano as an example, Idris said the state exemplifies the importance of media, describing it as the commercial hub of Northern Nigeria with one of Nigeria’s most vibrant media landscapes. He noted that Kano has the largest concentration of radio stations in the region, including community radio stations that serve millions of listeners daily in Hausa and other indigenous languages.
He explained that these stations remain trusted platforms through which farmers receive agricultural information, traders monitor markets, families obtain health information and citizens engage with governance.
The minister also highlighted Kano’s status as the home of Kannywood, describing it as one of Africa’s largest indigenous film industries that has, for decades, projected Northern Nigeria’s language, values and culture beyond Nigeria’s borders while creating thousands of jobs and nurturing creative talent.
He, however, observed that the media landscape has fundamentally changed, noting that news no longer belongs exclusively to newspapers, radio or television because every smartphone has effectively become a newsroom and every social media account now serves as a broadcasting platform capable of transmitting information across continents within seconds.
While describing the digital revolution as one that presents extraordinary opportunities for education, innovation and economic growth, Idris warned that it also places unprecedented responsibility on everyone involved in creating and disseminating information.
He cautioned that falsehood often travels faster than truth and described misinformation and disinformation as potent weapons capable of inflaming tensions, undermining trust, discouraging investment and threatening national security.
For that reason, the minister said professional journalism has never been more important, adding that the enduring strength of journalism lies in its commitment to accuracy, fairness, verification, balance and responsibility. He maintained that credible journalism must continue to distinguish itself from rumour, propaganda and sensationalism.
Idris reiterated that the media must continue to hold government accountable because such constitutional responsibility remains indispensable to democracy. However, he stressed that accountability is strongest when anchored on facts, context and fairness.
The minister also reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to press freedom, describing a free, responsible and independent press as indispensable to good governance, transparency and public accountability.
He said the administration’s commitment is reflected in continuous engagement with media stakeholders, efforts to create an enabling environment where journalists can perform their professional duties without undue interference, and its determination to deepen constructive dialogue between government and the media.
According to Idris, this commitment has been demonstrated through unprecedented engagement between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian media, including regular interactions and the recently inaugurated State House Press Corps Annual Briefing and Luncheon, which he said has opened a new chapter in strengthening mutual trust and understanding.
He stated that democracy flourishes when citizens are well informed, diverse opinions are respected and the media performs its watchdog role with professionalism, responsibility and fidelity to the truth.
Calling for balanced journalism, the minister urged media practitioners to report challenges honestly while also recognising genuine progress wherever it occurs, arguing that nations are neither defined solely by their difficulties nor advanced by ignoring them, but rather by reporting the truth in its entirety.
He insisted that Northern Nigeria is far more than insecurity, describing it as a region of entrepreneurs building successful businesses, farmers feeding the nation, researchers making discoveries, innovators developing digital solutions, artists promoting culture and young people transforming their communities daily.
Idris said these positive stories deserve prominence alongside reports of conflict because they present a fuller and more accurate picture of the region.
He explained that balanced journalism requires examining national realities in their entirety, stressing that while the media must continue scrutinising public policy and reporting challenges without fear or favour, it should equally give fair attention to genuine progress.
It was in that context, he said, that he highlighted achievements recorded under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to the minister, the Tinubu administration has embarked on far-reaching reforms aimed at restoring economic stability, strengthening national security and laying foundations for long-term prosperity.
He said the reforms have demanded courage, discipline and foresight, noting that necessary economic decisions have strengthened public finances, improved fiscal sustainability and renewed investor confidence while strategic investments are reconnecting markets, expanding infrastructure and unlocking opportunities for inclusive growth.
Focusing on Northern Nigeria, Idris said the investments are particularly significant, highlighting President Tinubu’s Four Legacy Highway Projects as the largest highway infrastructure programme ever undertaken by a civilian administration in Nigeria.
He said the projects are opening new economic corridors, strengthening national integration, reducing transport costs and connecting producers to domestic, regional and international markets.
He specifically pointed to the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway as a project capable of transforming trade across several northern states by linking agricultural belts with industrial and export corridors.
The minister added that the renewed construction of the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway, alongside continued investments in rail infrastructure, dry ports, energy projects and logistics networks, would significantly improve the competitiveness of Northern Nigeria and stimulate private-sector investment.
Idris also highlighted the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Regional Development, saying it has strengthened the coordination of development initiatives through regional development commissions by ensuring interventions are tailored to the unique needs and comparative advantages of each geopolitical zone.
He described the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development as equally transformative, explaining that livestock remains one of Northern Nigeria’s greatest economic assets.
According to him, modernising the livestock sector through improved animal health, ranching systems, value-chain development, processing facilities and export promotion will create jobs, improve food security, increase foreign exchange earnings and reduce resource-based conflicts.
On education, the minister said it remains central to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, pointing to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), through which hundreds of thousands of Nigerian students now have access to financial support to pursue higher education regardless of economic circumstances.
He added that expanded digital skills programmes, entrepreneurship initiatives, innovation hubs and support for small businesses are also preparing young Nigerians for success in an increasingly digital global economy.
Addressing security, Idris said it continues to receive the highest attention, noting that the Armed Forces and other security agencies have recorded significant successes against terrorism, banditry and other violent crimes.
He said intelligence-led operations have resulted in the elimination of notorious terrorist commanders, the rescue of kidnapped victims, the recovery of communities previously under criminal occupation and the disruption of terrorist financing and logistics networks.
The minister further noted that the successful prosecution and conviction of hundreds of terrorism suspects demonstrate the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that those threatening Nigeria’s peace face the full weight of the law.
He attributed these achievements to stronger inter-agency collaboration, improved intelligence sharing, investments in modern equipment and expanded international cooperation.
Idris also disclosed that, as part of broader efforts to build a safer Nigeria, the Federal Government is actively supporting ongoing constitutional engagements aimed at deepening the decentralisation of policing through the establishment of state police and other complementary community-based policing structures.
According to him, the proposed reform recognises that effective security is best achieved when policing is closer to the people, more responsive to local dynamics and better integrated with community institutions.
He said decentralised policing also offers significant economic and social benefits by creating hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs for young Nigerians, stimulating value chains in training, technology, communications, logistics, uniforms, equipment manufacturing, infrastructure development and legal services, while encouraging greater private investment through improved security.
He emphasised, however, that security cannot be won through military action alone, insisting that ideas and narratives also matter.
The minister said the media has an indispensable responsibility to deny violent extremists the publicity they seek while promoting unity, resilience and hope because the stories amplified by the media can either deepen divisions or strengthen national cohesion.
Idris reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation to building a media ecosystem that promotes truth, responsibility and informed citizenship.
He said this commitment is reflected in two landmark achievements, beginning with the establishment of the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI) in Abuja, which he described as the world’s first UNESCO Category 2 Institute dedicated exclusively to Media and Information Literacy.
According to him, the institute will serve as a global centre for research, training, policy development and capacity building in media literacy, equipping journalists, educators, regulators and young people with the skills required to navigate today’s increasingly complex information environment while positioning Nigeria at the forefront of the global fight against misinformation and disinformation.
The minister also highlighted the successful launch of the Digital Switch Over (DSO), otherwise known as FreeTV, describing it as another milestone in Nigeria’s broadcasting evolution.
He said the DSO will improve access to high-quality digital broadcasting while stimulating local content production, creating employment across the creative value chain and expanding opportunities for broadcasters, producers and digital innovators.
Idris encouraged media organisations across Northern Nigeria to take full advantage of the IMILI and DSO initiatives through training, collaboration, research and content development.
Addressing journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers, digital creators and communication professionals directly, he challenged them to tell the stories of innovators, farmers, entrepreneurs, women and young people transforming communities every day.
He urged them to tell stories that inspire confidence without abandoning truth and stories that unite rather than divide.
The minister said history has shown that nations rise not only because they build great infrastructure but because they build great ideas, adding that while roads connect cities and bridges connect communities, truthful stories connect people to a common purpose.
He reiterated that the future of Northern Nigeria will depend not only on investments in roads, schools, farms and industries but equally on investments in credible journalism, responsible communication and ethical storytelling.
Describing journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers and digital creators as architects of public opinion and custodians of collective memory rather than mere chroniclers of history, Idris said the stories they tell today will shape how future generations understand this defining period in Nigeria’s history.
He therefore urged media practitioners to tell the story of Northern Nigeria with honesty, confidence and balance by confronting challenges without surrendering to despair, celebrating achievements without abandoning objectivity, and projecting to the world a region defined not only by resilience but also by ingenuity, enterprise and boundless potential.
Expressing confidence in the future of the Arewa Media Summit, the minister said he had no doubt that the inaugural edition would become a defining platform for shaping the future of media practice in Northern Nigeria.
He congratulated the organisers for what he described as a commendable initiative and wished participants productive and fruitful deliberations before concluding his address with prayers for God’s blessings upon the Federal Republic of Nigeria.