The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has signalled a turning point in the battle for better working conditions in the country’s media industry, pushing for a Media Enhancement Bill to address what it describes as decades of systemic neglect of journalists’ welfare.
Speaking at a veteran journalists’ forum in Kano, NUJ President, Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, said the bill, now attracting support in the House of Representatives, would compel employers to provide fair pay and safeguard health benefits for journalists nationwide.
“Journalists spend their lives telling other people’s stories while their own struggles remain untold,” Yahaya said. “It is time we fought collectively for a profession that values those who serve as society’s watchdogs.”
He lamented that less than one per cent of journalists in Nigeria have health insurance, despite the availability of affordable state health schemes. Yahaya stressed that for an annual premium of just ₦15,000, practitioners could access care at all levels — a step that would ease out-of-pocket spending and bring the profession closer to universal health coverage.
Kano State emerged as a shining example during the dialogue, with its Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi-Waiya, outlining reforms to boost media capacity, revive institutional resources, and strengthen government-media relations.
Former NUJ National President, Malam Sani Zoro, however, warned that welfare reforms must go hand-in-hand with ethical safeguards, urging the union to confront the rising threat of misinformation and reckless use of artificial intelligence.
Participants at the forum — including veteran journalists, academics, and media executives — called for structured mentorship, quarterly professional dialogues, and targeted capacity-building to restore public confidence in the press.
Stakeholders commended Kano for being arguably Nigeria’s most media-friendly state, citing investment in infrastructure, payment of pension arrears to retired journalists, and support for professional development.
The NUJ’s legislative push could mark the first comprehensive legal protection for journalists in Nigeria, potentially reshaping an industry long plagued by poor remuneration, job insecurity, and a lack of basic healthcare.
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