By Auwal Ilyasu, Gombe
The National Media Summit of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) concluded yesterday in Jalingo, Taraba State, with a call for improved remuneration, safety guarantees, and a full-scale digital transition across the industry.
The two-day summit, themed “Building Trust and Integrity in the Age of Misinformation,” brought together delegates from the 36 states and the FCT, marking Taraba’s first time hosting the constitutionally mandated summit.
Speaking during the event, the NUJ National President, Alhassan Yahaya, said the resolutions reached in Jalingo underscore the Union’s next phase of reform. He insisted that issues of pay, health insurance, life insurance, and sustainable welfare structures must now move to the front burner.
He announced that the Union is finalising a Media Enhancement Bill for presentation to the National Assembly, aimed at securing statutory protections for journalists. He added that the NUJ is awaiting federal decisions on new media-agency allowances, after which state councils and unions will engage in coordinated negotiations to ensure nationwide implementation.
Yahaya also drew attention to the harsh travel conditions experienced by delegates, calling on the federal government to support Taraba’s road development efforts. He stressed that the summit was designed not just to review challenges but to reset newsroom standards, rebuild editorial judgment, and strengthen content quality across the country.
Meanwhile, Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, said hosting the summit was both a privilege and a strategic contribution to national development. He described journalists as essential partners in progress, urging the NUJ to continue promoting truth and narratives that strengthen unity and nation-building. Kefas pledged the state’s continued collaboration with media stakeholders.
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Umar Pate, Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Kashere, warned that no journalist should face harassment in the line of duty as he outlined a safety framework aligned with UNESCO standards.
While stating that psychological, physical, gender, digital, media, and economic safety tops the area of safety required by journalists, he emphasised that journalists must embrace digital tools to stay relevant. Pate urged the Taraba State Government to provide local reporters with laptops and smartphones to strengthen digital capacity.
