IPC Stakeholders' meeting

The International Press Centre (IPC) recently held a stakeholders’ meeting to review and update “The Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage” which held on 6 - 7 March 2018 at the Grand Bee Suites, Joel Ogunnaike Street, GRA Ikeja, Lagos.

The stakeholders’ engagement follows the need to review and update the existing Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage and publish a new version for use by journalists in the coverage of the electoral processes and the 2019 elections.

Following the review and update, IPC shall facilitate the production of 20,000 copies of the code which shall be distributed to journalists across Nigeria to ensure fairness and professionalism in the coverage of the electoral processes and 2019 elections. The beneficiaries shall include male and female political reporters and editors; state houses correspondents and all journalists that shall be involved in the reporting of the 2019 elections.

The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria is currently implementing Component 4b: Support to the media of the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) project. The proposed actions under the project seek to build a professional media as catalysts of democratic accountability, credible elections and good governance. The overall objectives of the project are:

a.            To deepen the role of the media (conventional and new/social) in promoting credible electoral processes, inclusivity, accountable democratic practices and service delivery

b.            To facilitate the professional and ethical media coverage of 2019 elections and the processes leading to it.

c.             To enable various stakeholders, use the Freedom of Information Act as a tool to facilitate transparent elections, accountable democracy and service delivery.

The specific objective is to ensure that the media, including new and social media provides fair, accurate, ethical and inclusive coverage of the electoral process and elections. The project envisages the achievement of the following results:

a.            Enhanced professionalism of media practitioners, especially women.

b.            Media platforms diversify, deepen and deliver civic and voter education

c.             Increased media awareness and use of FoI Act for accountability.

d.            Improved media engagement in promoting women, youths and marginalized groups in politics

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