NUJ blasts NBC over fresh regulations on broadcasters, calls it an assault on free speech
By Ishaya Ibrahim
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has condemned the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over a “formal notice” issued on April 17, 2026, describing it as a direct threat to press freedom and an attempt to institutionalise censorship.
In a statement titled “STOP THE STRANGULATION OF FREE SPEECH,” the union expressed disappointment at the NBC’s directive.
The NUJ described the move as “nothing short of a veiled attempt to gag the media and institutionalize censorship.
The union, in the statement signed by Achike Chude, its National Secretary, said the NBC’s warning against anchors expressing “personal opinions” and its demand 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. To strip presenters of their right to analyze and contextualize news is to reduce the Nigerian media to a mere mouthpiece,” the statement read.
The union also criticised the classification of the alleged offences as Class B breaches which is punishable by heavy fines or suspension. The NUJ said it was designed to create a chilling effect.
“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 NUJ added.
The NUJ reminded the NBC that Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees 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,” it stated.
The NUJ declared its full solidarity with all broadcast stations and journalists across the country, vowing not to “sit idly by while the civic space is constricted under the guise of ‘regulation.’”
The union made specific demands, which included that the NBC should immediately end the harassment of media houses.
It also said instead of issuing threats, the commission should engage in meaningful dialogue with media stakeholders.
The NUJ urged the government to ensure that regulatory agencies like the NBC are not weaponised against the media.
The NUJ also urged 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 statement said. “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.”
