The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has asked President Bola Tinubu to immediately cancel a recent order from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) that they say is illegal and a threat to press freedom.
On April 18, 2026, the organization’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, wrote a letter to the President asking him to tell the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, and the NBC to take back the notice.
“The NBC’s notice is a dangerous attempt to censor the media before it happens and stifle legitimate journalistic expression,” SERAP said.
The group also asked the government not to censor Nigerian journalists, including presenters, before they go on air and to let them do their constitutional duties without interference.
The demand comes after the NBC sent out a formal notice on April 17, 2026, saying that there had been an increase in violations of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and warning stations against things like expressing “personal opinions,” allegedly threatening guests, or not being neutral.
In response, SERAP said that these kinds of rules are unclear and against the law. They said, “The Nigerian Constitution and international human rights law protect both the absolute right to hold opinions and the qualified right to express ideas of all kinds.”
It went on to say, “Journalistic opinion is protected speech.”
The group also criticized Section 1.10.3 of the Broadcasting Code, saying, “This is prior restraint that wrongly keeps out commentary, analysis, and value judgments, which are the heart of journalism and democratic discourse.”
SERAP said that the NBC’s use of vague and broad rules could lead to arbitrary enforcement and stop critical reporting, especially in the run-up to the 2027 general elections.
“The threat of sanctions for broadly defined behavior makes journalists and broadcasters less likely to report the news, which goes against constitutional protections,” the group said.
It said, “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 48 hours,” and warned that not doing anything could lead to legal action. If we haven’t heard from your government or the NBC by then, SERAP will take all necessary legal steps to make sure you follow the rules.
SERAP also asked the NBC to change parts of the Broadcasting Code so that they are in line with international and constitutional human rights standards.
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