In a meeting with a delegation from the British Broadcasting Corporation in Abuja, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, urged international media organizations to shift away from negative portrayals of Nigeria.
He emphasized the importance of accuracy, balance, and fairness in reporting on the country’s developments and urged the global media to adopt a more positive outlook.
Idris underlined that Nigeria is making progress towards prosperity and not just negativity, calling on foreign media outlets like the BBC to present a more comprehensive picture of the country.
He also requested the BBC and other media to provide a platform for Nigeria to share its side of the story, highlighting the positive initiatives and advancements taking place within the nation.
Expressing the government’s commitment to transparency and unbiased reporting, Idris stated that the administration has upheld press freedom without any reported cases of harassment towards international journalists.
He commended the BBC for relocating its Hausa Service to Abuja, which has positively impacted local employment opportunities.
Idris acknowledged the longstanding partnership between Nigeria and the BBC, spanning over five decades and built on trust and respect.
The BBC’s Deputy CEO and Director of Global News, Jonathan Munro, who is visiting Nigeria for the first time, praised the strong audience base of over 30 million weekly viewers in Nigeria.
Highlighting Nigeria as the BBC’s third-largest market globally, Munro emphasized the expansion of digital and multimedia platforms and efforts to broadcast in various Nigerian languages to cater to the diverse population.