Goodwill Message By His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, Gcon, Vice President Of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria, To The 2026 All Nigeria Editors Conference, Enugu, September 24, 2026

President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr Eze Anaba; distinguished editors; ladies and gentlemen.

I had looked forward to being with you in Enugu today. Unfortunately, other pressing responsibilities of state have made that impossible. I am, however, delighted to send this message of goodwill to a community that remains indispensable to our national journey.

Your theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” could hardly be more timely. As Nigeria approaches another election cycle, the responsibility of the media becomes even more consequential. The ballot gives citizens a voice, but that voice can only be meaningful when citizens have access to credible information on which to make their choices.

The media has earned its place as the fourth estate of the realm because it performs a duty that no democracy can do without. You interrogate power, inform citizens, shape public debate and preserve the institutional memory of our nation. Nigeria’s democratic journey owes much to journalists and editors who, sometimes at considerable personal cost, insisted that the public deserved to know.

That responsibility has become even more demanding in the age of artificial intelligence. Your sub-theme, “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election,” speaks directly to one of the defining challenges of our time. When technology can manufacture convincing falsehoods at unprecedented speed, professional journalism becomes more important, not less. The editor remains a crucial gatekeeper between information and manipulation.

As you scrutinise government, I also urge you to continue telling the full story of our country, including where progress is being made.

The reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration have required difficult choices, but we are beginning to see encouraging signs. Nigeria’s economy grew by 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 4.23 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2025, with growth recorded across agriculture, manufacturing, oil and gas, and services. Inflation has also moderated substantially from the levels recorded earlier in the reform period, although we recognise that the real test is what these improvements mean for the cost of living and the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians.

These numbers give us reason for confidence, but not for complacency. President Tinubu’s objective is clear: macroeconomic stability must translate into jobs, stronger businesses, greater purchasing power and a better quality of life for Nigerians. That work continues, and we are confident that, with sustained reforms, the trajectory can only get better.

Government and the media will not always agree, nor should we. Democracy is strengthened when disagreement is informed by facts, exercised responsibly and conducted in good faith. What must unite us is the greater Nigerian project.

I therefore commend the Nigerian Guild of Editors for sustaining this important platform and for choosing a subject that goes to the heart of the survival of our democracy.

I wish you fruitful deliberations and a successful 2026 All Nigeria Editors Conference.

Thank you, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.