Shettima: Economic growth must translate to better living standards

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration must ultimately translate into jobs, stronger businesses, greater purchasing power and an improved quality of life for Nigerians.

Shettima made the declaration in a goodwill message delivered at the 2026 All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu on Thursday, as he urged the media to report the government’s economic performance while continuing to scrutinise its policies and actions.

His remarks came against the backdrop of the conference theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” and its sub-theme, “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election.”

The Vice President, who was absent from the conference because of what he described as “other pressing responsibilities of state,” said Nigeria’s economy grew by 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 4.23 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2025.

He, however, acknowledged that the headline economic figures alone were insufficient, stressing that the administration’s stated objective was for macroeconomic stability to eventually be reflected in the daily lives of Nigerians.

“Inflation has also moderated substantially from the levels recorded earlier in the reform period, although we recognise that the real test is what these improvements mean for the cost of living and the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians.

“These numbers give us reason for confidence, but not for complacency.

“President Tinubu’s objective is clear: macroeconomic stability must translate into jobs, stronger businesses, greater purchasing power and a better quality of life for Nigerians. That work continues, and we are confident that, with sustained reforms, the trajectory can only get better,” Shettima said.

The Vice President’s remarks place the government’s economic narrative beyond the measurement of GDP growth and other macroeconomic indicators, linking the success of its reforms to their eventual effect on household welfare.

The National Bureau of Statistics had reported that real GDP expanded by 4.43 per cent year-on-year in Q2 2026, up from 3.89 per cent in Q1 2026. (RSS Amplifier)

Shettima also urged editors not to treat the government’s record solely through the prism of criticism, saying journalism should capture areas where progress was being made while maintaining its scrutiny of government.

“As you scrutinise government, I also urge you to continue telling the full story of our country, including where progress is being made,” he said.

He argued that the media’s responsibility was not diminished by disagreement with government, saying “government and the media will not always agree, nor should we.”

“Democracy is strengthened when disagreement is informed by facts, exercised responsibly and conducted in good faith. What must unite us is the greater Nigerian project,” he said.

The Vice President’s message also focused heavily on the emerging threat posed by artificial intelligence to elections and public information.

He said the media had become even more important as technology increasingly enables the production of convincing falsehoods.

“When technology can manufacture convincing falsehoods at unprecedented speed, professional journalism becomes more important, not less.

“The editor remains a crucial gatekeeper between information and manipulation,” Shettima said.

He added that the media’s role in protecting democracy extended beyond election-day reporting, arguing that editors and journalists were responsible for interrogating power, informing citizens and preserving the institutional memory of the country.

“The ballot gives citizens a voice, but that voice can only be meaningful when citizens have access to credible information on which to make their choices,” he said.

His position was echoed in different forms by other speakers at the conference.

The Obi of Onitsha and chairman of the conference, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, described democracy as a system that requires continuous protection, warning editors that the information environment could determine whether citizens exercise their franchise on the basis of truth or deception.

“The ballot is the citizen’s voice. The media is the mirror by which that citizen sees the world clearly enough to know what to say with that voice.

“When the mirror is cracked, or worse, deliberately distorted, the citizen no longer votes from truth but votes from illusion. And a democracy built on illusion is not genuine democracy but drama. It becomes a theatre,” Achebe said.

He challenged editors to make verification a central newsroom discipline, particularly as AI-generated content becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish from authentic material.

“In the old order, being first with the news was honour. In this new order, being first with a lie dressed as news is a betrayal of the public trust, however unintentional,” he said.

He also urged journalists to apply the same standard to falsehoods that benefit their preferred political camps.

“True journalistic integrity in this era will require you to correct falsehoods regardless of who benefits from them, before, during, and yes, after elections,” the monarch said.

INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN), similarly warned that synthetic disinformation could undermine public confidence in genuine electoral information.

He said the commission was developing artificial intelligence tools for its results-management processes while maintaining that such technology would remain subject to human oversight.

“AI must strengthen electoral integrity, improve public service, and always remain under human control,” Amupitan said.

He also made the economic welfare of journalists a central part of his address, arguing that poorly remunerated journalists could become vulnerable to inducements and manipulation.

“A reporter operating under extreme financial insecurity, unpaid salaries, and inadequate welfare cannot serve as an unassailable fortress against political inducement, fake news, and brown-envelope pressures,” he said.

Amupitan disclosed that INEC had established what it described as the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure and was implementing an upgraded salary and welfare package for its personnel.

He also said the commission increased overheads to its state offices by 150 per cent from July 1, 2026.

For his part, Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, challenged editors to move beyond adversarial journalism and concentrate on establishing verifiable facts.

“My challenge to you, therefore, is simple – go deeper,” Mbah said.

He added, “Investigative journalism cannot become a luxury. We need journalists with the time and curiosity to understand difficult subjects; editors prepared to protect that work; and newsrooms willing to distinguish between what generates immediate attention and what the public genuinely needs to know.”

Mbah also presented an account of his administration’s performance in Enugu, citing more than 1,500 kilometres of roads constructed or reconstructed, over 7,000 classrooms delivered, healthcare facilities across the state’s 260 wards, renewed water supply, transport terminals, CNG buses and the revival of dormant industries.

He acknowledged, however, that “there is still much to do,” while inviting the editors to independently inspect the projects and speak with residents.

“Take some time to explore the city, speak to the people who live and work here, and get a sense of the direction in which Enugu is moving.

“And then do what good journalism has always done: look closely, establish the facts, and tell the story as you find it,” Mbah said.

The convergence of the speeches placed the media at the centre of two competing pressures ahead of the 2027 elections: the need to scrutinise political power and the need to protect the public information space from increasingly sophisticated manipulation.

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Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, said this year’s conference would help the editors to reflect on the media’s continuing responsibility to Nigeria’s democracy and national development.

Speaking on the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” Namadi described it as both timely and profound, adding that in this era of digital transformation, AI-based disinformation ranked among the most serious threats to modern democracy because it can imitate reality, manipulate public opinion, inflame tensions, and undermine confidence in electoral outcomes.

He, therefore, said members of the Guild, and indeed all citizens, must be equipped to detect and debunk disinformation, especially before, during, and after elections.

“The theme reminds us that credible elections depend not only on the ballot box, but also on well-informed citizens who can make their choices free from deceptive narratives, lies that look real, or AI-generated falsehoods designed to appear real.

“The media therefore bears a vital responsibility to provide accurate and objective reporting before, during, and after every electoral contest.

“To perform this role effectively, the media must strengthen fact-checking and verification, uphold professional ethics, and equip journalists to detect and counter disinformation without compromising editorial independence,” he said.

The Jigawa governor said the media remained one of the strongest pillars of democracy, adding that at every decisive moment in Nigeria’s journey, the media had helped to inform citizens, interrogate power, defend public interest, and give voice to the aspirations of ordinary people.

“Your work goes beyond reporting events; it fosters peace, unity, and national cohesion, deepens public understanding, promotes accountability, and reinforces society’s moral foundations.

“All these are all essential to democratic governance in which citizens are well-informed, institutions are held accountable, and the rule of law prevails,” he added.

Namadi urged the Nigerian media to continue to invest in verification systems, newsroom fact-checking capacity, media literacy, ethical use of technology, and collaboration across platforms to detect and debunk harmful disinformation early.

He also called for the regulation of social media space to minimise the spread of falsehood.

“Fortunately, Nigeria already has relevant laws. Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act, as amended in 2024, criminalises knowingly false online messages intended to cause a breakdown of law and order or threaten life.

“Section 123 of the Electoral Act 2022 prohibits specified false statements about candidates and their withdrawal during elections.

“Our task, therefore, is to strengthen public awareness, ensure fair and consistent enforcement, and close any gaps through clear, proportionate, and rights-respecting measures.

“Such measures must deter deliberate falsehood, incitement, and character assassination without imperilling legitimate expression or press freedom,” he said.

In his keynote address, Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Onaiyekan, took the debate beyond the media’s immediate responsibility, arguing that the credibility of Nigerian democracy ultimately depended on whether elections genuinely reflected the wishes of citizens.

Onaiyekan said the quality of Nigeria’s elections appeared to have declined since the return to democratic rule in 1999, identifying political desperation, the influence of incumbency, questions around the independence of electoral institutions and prolonged election litigation among the problems undermining the process.

“In Nigeria, we have had several elections since 1999. It is difficult to believe that we have been making progress. In fact, it seems that the quality of the elections has been reducing from one election to the other, and this is not good news at all,” he said.

He particularly questioned the ability of the INEC to operate independently when its leadership is appointed through a process involving the executive arm of government, which can itself become a contestant during elections.

“The INEC is supposed to be independent by definition, Independent National Electoral Commission. But it is doubtful how independent it is or can be,” Onaiyekan said.

The cardinal called for a review of the process for appointing the INEC chairman and commissioners, arguing that the electoral body should not be dependent on the President and state governors, who may themselves be involved in electoral contests.

He also proposed a special election tribunal dedicated exclusively to electoral disputes and argued that all election cases should be resolved before any elected candidate is sworn into office.

“A situation where a candidate has been declared a president still going to tribunal to defend his position using state means and state resources to defend himself against his opponents is not serious as far as natural justice is concerned,” he said.

Onaiyekan further called for citizens, rather than only candidates, to be allowed to challenge election results where they believe their votes were improperly counted.

He proposed the introduction of independent candidates, particularly at the local government level, saying citizens should be able to support candidates outside the established political parties.

“It is about time we curb the tyranny of the political parties and their ruthless godfathers,” he said.

The cardinal also proposed that a presidential candidate should secure at least 50 per cent of votes cast, with a second round between the two leading candidates where no contender reaches the threshold.

He said such an arrangement would address concerns over presidents emerging with only a minority share of the votes cast.

Onaiyekan’s proposals extended to lawmakers who cross from one political party to another after being elected, arguing that such legislators should return to their constituencies to seek a fresh mandate under their new parties.

He said the proposals should form part of the agenda of the National Assembly to be elected in 2027.

Beyond the electoral system, Onaiyekan placed a direct responsibility on the media, warning editors against allowing political, corporate or government interests to compromise professional independence.

“The media has an important role in upholding democracy, to keep the people informed about the true state of the nation,” he said.

“It means reporting on actions and policies of government, positively where they are considered so and critically when they need to be reviewed. They should also operate with professional autonomy. They should resist pressure from those who are funding them, whether it is the state or it is private organisations and corporate bodies.”

He said a free press remained indispensable to democracy, while acknowledging that the emergence of social media and artificial intelligence had introduced new opportunities as well as risks into the information environment.

“The ultimate objective is to install a government that is freely chosen by the people, and that works for the common good of the people,” he said.

Nigeria’s presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027, according to the conference address by Information and National Orientation Minister, Mohammed Idris.

Idris told the editors that the media’s task was not to amplify government claims or political allegations but to establish what was true.

“A responsible press should neither exaggerate achievements nor ignore them. It should examine them, verify them, ask difficult questions, and allow citizens to understand both the progress and the shortcomings,” he said.

He added: “The job of the professional journalist is not to amplify every claim simply because it is politically attractive. The job is to establish what is true, provide context and allow citizens to make their own judgments.”

That tension — between government’s demand that its reported gains receive adequate coverage and journalism’s obligation to independently verify those claims — emerged as one of the defining issues at the conference.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the speakers repeatedly returned to the same question: how can citizens make meaningful choices when both political claims and fabricated information can be produced and distributed at unprecedented speed?