President Tinubu praises Nduka Obaigbena’s Lekeelekee social media platform, urging support for African digital innovation and stronger protection for Nigeria’s media.
President Bola Tinubu has commended the Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY Media Group and ARISE News Channel, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, for launching Lekeelekee, a new social media platform aimed at redefining digital communication and challenging Western dominance in the global technology space.
Tinubu urged Nigerians to support the platform and similar initiatives that promote African innovation and strengthen the country’s digital and media ecosystem.
The President spoke on Friday while hosting leaders of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) to an interfaith breaking of fast at the State House, Abuja.
Referencing Lekeelekee, Tinubu described the initiative as a positive step toward strengthening Nigeria’s technological and media independence.
“Don’t mind the screaming sometimes. I’m glad the Duke is sponsoring Lekeelekee while we are talking about Google and external interference in our affairs.
“We will run with the stick with you and say ‘Nigeria we hail thee.’ We will survive the challenges,” the President said. I’ll
Tinubu also pledged his administration’s support for initiatives designed to protect Nigeria’s media industry from external technological influence.
He disclosed that the government was already engaging global technology companies such as Meta and Google to address concerns about their impact on the Nigerian media ecosystem.
Beyond the digital media landscape, the President called on state and local governments to ensure that increased federal allocations translate into tangible development at the grassroots.
He stressed that the recent fiscal reforms and the implementation of direct funding for local governments had created greater financial capacity for sub-national governments.
Tinubu urged the media to expand its oversight role beyond the federal government by holding governors and local council officials accountable for how public funds are used.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money. But how they use it is in your hands. Don’t bombard me alone; look out to the local government too,” he said.
According to the President, improved fiscal space has also strengthened the financial position of states.
“Equally the sub-nationals are enjoying the freedom. Today, no state is borrowing to pay the salaries of employees,” he added.
Tinubu acknowledged the difficult economic decisions taken at the start of his administration, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, explaining that such measures were necessary to prevent economic collapse.
“At the time, we had to confront the subsidy; Nigeria was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy,” he said.
The President maintained that the reforms had helped stabilise the economy despite initial hardships.
“Today I can stand proudly before you that we are back from that brink,” he said.
He also promised to address concerns raised by media organisations regarding import tariffs on newsprint and broadcasting equipment, assuring industry leaders that the government would examine the issue.
Earlier, the Grand Patron of NPAN and former Ogun State governor, Olusegun Osoba, commended Tinubu for what he described as bold reforms aimed at transforming the Nigerian economy.
Publisher of BusinessDay Newspapers, Frank Aigbogun, who spoke on behalf of the Nigeria Press Organisation, praised the President for maintaining a cordial relationship with the media and appealed for government intervention on tariffs affecting media operations.
He also urged the government to protect journalists and media organisations from the growing dominance of global technology platforms that utilise editorial content without compensation.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, reiterated the government’s commitment to press freedom.
He disclosed that regulatory agencies had already begun engagement with major technology companies over their influence on Nigeria’s media industry.
“All the regulatory agencies are already engaging the big tech, Meta and Google. The President will not allow anybody to come here, reap from our economy and go away,” Idris said.
He also assured media leaders that the Tinubu administration remained committed to protecting press freedom.
“At no time has the President ever called me to say go and do this or go and do that to the press. He is himself a product of press freedom,” the minister added.