The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, has called for strengthening independent media and protection of civic space as stakeholders converged in Abuja for the launch of the “Make It Count” initiative to promote ethical, rights-based journalism and democratic accountability.
The one day stakeholders meeting organised by CHRICED Radio and TV in conjunction with Weltfilme, Germany and supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) took place on June 24, 2026 at Catholic Secretariat Resource Centre, Durumi.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, Mr. Kenneth Olajide said the effort comes at a critical era when independent journalism faces mounting dangers from misinformation, diminishing civic space and attacks on press freedom.
Olajide, in a goodwill message on behalf of the Council, re-emphasised the importance of professional journalism and ethical storytelling as tools for fostering openness, accountability and democratic engagement.
He said that as Nigeria prepares for another political cycle, journalists must continue to respect the tenets of honesty, impartiality and public interest reporting.
He said the aims of the “Make It Count” project were in tandem with the commitment of the NUJ FCT Council to preserving press freedom, building the capacity of journalists, as well as encouraging responsible journalism that gives voice to disadvantaged and marginalised people.
The Executive Director of the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, said the program was aimed to stem the rising tide of intimidation of journalists, misinformation and decline in civic involvement.
“The project aims to prepare media practitioners at the grassroots level to produce multimedia content on human rights issues that promote citizen participation and inclusive development,” he said.
“The aim is to improve the quality of ethical reporting and ensure media practitioners are able to tell stories that promote human rights, accountability and social justice,” Zikirullahi added.
Mrs Julia Krojer, Weltfilme Project Team Lead, also addressing, noted her organisation’s commitment to supporting independent and community media as they are key venues for amplifying the voices of under-represented communities and upholding democratic principles.
Fatimah A. Mohammed of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) stressed the need for the media to promote truth, justice and human dignity and urged journalists to remain committed to rights-centred reporting.
Civil society organisations, disability rights advocates and other stakeholders attending the gathering also advocated for a more inclusive media environment that represents the reality and concerns of all sectors of society.
The stakeholders highlighted that cooperation between journalists, civil society groups and development partners is still key to security of democratic freedoms and access to credible and independent information for citizens.
For the NUJ FCT Council, the engagement reinforced its commitment to cooperate with CHRICED, Weltfilme and other partners in the promotion of ethical journalism, defence of media freedom and construction of a robust information ecosystem that can sustain human rights reporting in Nigeria.
Participants agreed that developing independent media is essential to defend democracy, to hold institutions accountable and to ensure that the views of citizens continue to be heard in governance processes.
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