A university lecturer, Dr Maxwell Ngene, has called for stronger media accountability, editorial independence and improved welfare for journalists as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Ngene, Acting Head of the Department of Mass Communication at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), made the call while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council.
Speaking on the theme, “Media Accountability and the Future of Democratic Trust: Confronting the Crisis of Confidence Ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 Elections,” he stressed that credible journalism remains essential to democratic governance and public confidence.
He urged journalists to provide accurate and balanced information, scrutinise political actors without bias and resist political interference, sensationalism and the practice of accepting money in exchange for favourable coverage.
Describing the media as a public institution with the responsibility to inform citizens and hold those in power accountable, Ngene said journalists must earn public trust through consistent professional conduct.
“Trust is not something journalists can demand from the public. Trust is earned through consistent professional conduct,” he said.
The academic, however, warned that poor remuneration, delayed salaries, inadequate reporting allowances and weak institutional protection could expose journalists to ethical compromises.
While maintaining that economic hardship could not excuse professional misconduct, he argued that media accountability must also extend to the responsibilities of media owners towards their employees.
He urged media organisations to provide essential working tools, pay salaries promptly, protect editorial independence and invest in continuous professional development.
According to him, organisations that demand ethical journalism from their staff must also demonstrate responsibility by providing decent working conditions.
Ngene further identified political patronage, ownership interests and commercial pressures as threats to editorial independence, warning that such influences could undermine the credibility of media organisations.
He also noted that the increasing demands of digital publishing and the adoption of artificial intelligence had raised additional concerns about journalists’ welfare, professional development and job security.
Citing Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, he said the media had a constitutional responsibility to hold government accountable, while freedom of expression and the right to receive and impart information must be protected.
He cautioned that the media’s constitutional responsibility did not confer on government the authority to dictate editorial positions or interfere with independent journalism.
On declining public confidence, Ngene referenced the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism’s Digital News Report 2026, which he said recorded a 68 per cent news-trust score among surveyed online respondents in Nigeria.
He also cited the report’s finding that 63 per cent of respondents sometimes or often avoided the news, cautioning that the figures should not be generalised to represent the entire Nigerian population.
To address the credibility challenge, he recommended that newsrooms establish fact-checking desks, adopt transparent correction policies, disclose editorial ownership interests and strengthen compliance with the NUJ Code of Ethics.
He also called for consistent and impartial scrutiny of all political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
Ngene commended the Nigerian Guild of Editors for its initiative to encourage the establishment of dedicated fact-checking desks in newsrooms, describing evidence-based journalism as essential to rebuilding public confidence.
He maintained that media freedom, professional accountability and journalists’ welfare must advance together, warning that demanding ethical conduct without providing decent working conditions could undermine the sustainability of the profession.
“A free, independent and economically sustainable press is the best guarantee of a responsible one, and a responsible press is the best defence of democratic trust,” he said.