The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has joined the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in criticising the National Broadcasting Commission’s warning to broadcast stations against actions such as expressing “personal opinions,” allegedly intimidating guests, or failing to maintain neutrality.
The NBC had said it has observed a rise in violations of the sixth edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code across news, current affairs and political programmes. It warned that presenters who express personal opinions as facts or bully guests on air will face sanctions.
SERAP had, in its reaction, called on President Tinubu to instruct the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, and the NBC to reverse the notice, stressing that the directive represents a dangerous attempt to impose prior censorship on the media and suppress legitimate journalistic expression.
It pointed out that such provisions are vague and unconstitutional, stressing that, “The Nigerian Constitution and international human rights law protect both the absolute right to hold opinions and the qualified right to express ideas of all kinds.” It added, “Journalistic opinion is protected expression.”
SERAP further criticised Section 1.10.3 of the Broadcasting Code, noting, “This amounts to prior restraint that impermissibly excludes commentary, analysis, and value judgments, the core of journalism and democratic discourse.”
The rights organisation maintained that the NBC’s reliance on broad and unclear provisions risks arbitrary enforcement and could stifle critical reporting, especially ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The threat of sanctions for broadly defined conduct creates a chilling effect on journalists and broadcasters, thereby undermining constitutional guarantees,” SERAP said.
On Monday, NUJ reacted to the April 17, 2026, formal notice of the NBC which cited a rise in breaches of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code with threat of sanctions against the expression of “personal opinions,” the intimidation of guests, or failure to maintain neutrality.
It described the warning as “a veiled attempt to gag the media and institutionalise censorship”, stressing that the directive threatens free speech and editorial independence in Nigeria’s media space.
The NUJ said the NBC’s position on anchors expressing personal opinions and its push for a crisis-free presentation style amount to “direct interference in the internal editorial processes of independent media houses”.
“Journalism, particularly in the realm of current affairs and political analysis, requires robust engagement,” the statement reads.
“To strip presenters of their right to analyze and contextualize news is to reduce the Nigerian media to a mere mouthpiece.”
The union also raised concerns about what it described as vague regulatory provisions, warning that the classification of such actions as “Class B breaches” with penalties including fines or suspension, could intimidate journalists and stifle critical reporting.
“This regime of fear encourages self-censorship, where journalists are too afraid to ask tough questions for fear of being labeled ‘unprofessional’ or ‘hostile’ by a regulatory body that has increasingly become a political tool,” the statement added.
The NUJ reminded the commission that Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees the freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.
“The NBC Code cannot and must not be used to override the supreme law of the land. The government has a duty to ensure that regulatory agencies like the NBC are not weaponized against the media.
“We call on all journalists and broadcasters to remain resolute, professional, and fearless. Your duty is to the public and the truth, not to the whims of any regulatory agency.
“The media is the watchdog of society, not the lapdog of the government and opposition. Any attempt to break the screen or silence the microphone is an attack on Nigerian democracy itself,” Chude concluded.
