Abuja is set to host a major gathering of Nigeria’s top media professionals as the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) prepares for its 2025 Annual National Editors’ Conference, scheduled for November 12 and 13. The two-day event will bring together over 500 editors, government officials, diplomats, and key figures from the business community to deliberate on the state of governance, democracy, and journalism in the country.
According to a statement signed by NGE President Eze Anaba and General Secretary Onuoha Ukeh, the opening ceremony will take place at the Presidential Villa Banquet Hall, where President Bola Tinubu is expected to declare the conference open. The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Saad Abubakar, and Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Chairman of Arise News and ThisDay newspapers, will serve as chairmen of the occasion.
This year’s theme, “Democratic Governance and National Cohesion: The Role of Editors,” alongside its sub-theme, “Electoral Integrity and Trust Deficit: What Nigerians Expect in 2027,” reflects the Guild’s focus on rebuilding trust in Nigeria’s democratic institutions amid growing political and economic strains.
The NGE emphasized that the conference serves as a credible national forum for editors to explore solutions to issues affecting governance, policy, and media ethics. Distinguished speakers and thought leaders have been carefully selected to lead conversations that align with the country’s current realities.
Renowned legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Awa Kalu, will headline the first day’s session with a paper titled “Election Disputes and Judicial Integrity: Navigating the Thin Line Between Law and Politics.” He will be followed by Prof. Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Abuja, who will present on “State of the Nation: Imperative of Economic and Political Reforms in a Challenged Nation.”
The second day of deliberations, to be held at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Conference Centre, Jahi, will feature Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.), former Chief of Defence Staff, delivering a presentation on “Media, Terrorism, and National Security: Addressing the Complexities.” Also on the lineup is Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi, Dean of Postgraduate Studies at Baze University, who will dissect “The Evolving Face of Journalism: Battling Misinformation, AI Disruption, and the Credibility Gap.”
The conference will close with an executive session where editors will engage with top government officials, political figures, and business leaders on pressing national matters.
As tradition demands, the NGE’s annual conference remains a vital platform for Nigerian editors to shape conversations around national unity, governance, and the evolving role of the media in a rapidly changing democratic landscape.
