Nigerian Media Report

Nigerian Media Report

Introduction

Media is an important part of every country since it is the basis through which information is disseminated to the public. Every country around the world strives to establish a robust and effective media sector. In addition, it is also the primary objective of every country to formulate a rational and fair media sector that will provide candid information to the public. In line with these assertions, this study will assess the national media and/or media organizations in Nigeria. Additionally, the study will assess some of the media sources and/or technology that are commonly used in Nigeria. In so doing, the study will assess whether the nation is a high tech nation or a developing nation that has limited technological resources. The digital divide will also be assessed in detail. The study will culminate with an assessment of the influences of globalization and how it has changed the communication landscape in Nigeria over the past 20 years.

Models of media development in Nigeria

The primary mode of media development in Nigeria is authoritarian in nature, where the government still exerts influence on the media sector through dictatorship and suppression. The media laws are primarily enforced through censorship, legislations, taxation, and codes of conduct. In addition, it has also been used as a channel of communication that is geared towards supporting the policies of the government (Adigun, 1992).

Publications cannot be censored by third parties. The distribution and publication of media information are open to both the unlicensed groups and the licensed groups.  There are, however, no restrictions that have been made on how information is collected. Journalists, therefore, have a particular level of autonomy (Uka, 1989).

The other media model in Nigeria is social responsibility. Media plays a critical role in achieving obligations to society. Media plays a critical role in informing the public about pertinent issues affecting them, such as politics, economics, and the environment (Adigun, 1992).

There are three main media archetypes in Nigeria, which include the following. The first archetype is print, including Newspapers, the government gazette, and other critical print media. The other archetype is electronic media that involves both visual and audio forms of media.  The visual form of media primarily consists of televisions and videos. The audio form of media, on the other hand, includes radios and podcasts. The third media archetype is social media, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other popular social media sites (Uka, 1989).

The primary media associations in Nigeria include the following.  The list includes the Nigerian guild of editors, the newspaper proprietors Nigerian association, the union of journalists in Nigeria, the association of women journalists, the press council, the press organization. Other associations include the news agency, the commission of national broadcasting, and finally, the broadcasting organization of Nigeria (Adigun, 1992).

The constitution of Nigeria encapsulates the federal media guideline in section 22. The section states that television, radio, press, and other forms of mass media shall, at times, be free to safeguard the objectives mentioned within the chapter with the sole intention of fostering the accountability and responsibility of the government to the public (Uka, 1989).

Issues arising from the law and the media

The primary issues that have emerged with the Nigerian media sector include defamation, libel, copyright, sedition, and official secrecy act. For instance, in 2015, 2016, and 2017 more than ten arrests were made and detentions made thereafter of social media journalists and bloggers on matters relating to sedition, defamation, slander, and libel of politicians. Recently there was an arrest on the editor of the Premium Times, which is an online medium.

The media industry in Nigeria has been augmented in large part by the ICT industry. Nigeria has the largest ICT numbers in Africa by virtual of the fact that the population comprises 82% of all the telecom subscribers in Africa. On internet usage, however, it ranks low, with only less than 30% of the country’s population having access to the internet.  The ICT industry contributes close to 12% of the country’s GDP. The Nigerian commission of communication estimated that the country has a broadband penetration of close to 65 million people. ICT is a key driving factor in media as it aids the dissemination of contemporary media content (Suleiman, 2018).

The main media sources that are used to communicate within Nigeria include radio, TV, newspapers, and social media, which is currently the largest media source in the country. In 2017, for instance, there were slightly over 27 million social media users. In 2018, social media users were slightly above 29 million (Suleiman, 2018). In 2019, the estimated social media users were 30 million. Based on the above information, it is evident that social media usage is still low cognizant of the fact that the population of Nigeria is estimated at 180 million people. The internet penetration is slightly over 40% (Suleiman, 2018).

Nigeria is, therefore, a developing nation with little technological resources. The internet usage, social media usage, and general technological advancements are low and are only centered in the two big cities of Lagos and Abuja. There is, therefore, a large digital divide that is based on class. The high classes who live in cities are more informed and have access to divergent media sources. The low classes, on the other hand, are less informed since they do not have access to these divergent sources.

The problem is synonymous with most of the developing nations around the world where the gap between the rich and the poor continues to escalate. Nigeria has the highest number of people living in extreme poverty, where out of the 180 million people, close to 100 million people live in extreme poverty (Suleiman, 2018).  The poverty levels indicate that there are a large number of people who do not have access to information.

The fact that close to half of the country’s population lives in abject poverty implies that they lack the necessary amenities that can enable them to access information such as mobile phones, televisions, newspapers, or any reputable source of information. They are therefore left out in critical information access. The poverty levels are mainly centered in rural areas where there are no proper roads and electricity (Okwuchukwu, 2014).

It, therefore, becomes difficult for information to reach these areas since there are no proper roads to transport the print media or any electricity to power electronic devices that give access to information. The escalating gap between the rich and the poor has made it difficult for the country to achieve universal access to information. Media penetration has also been affected largely by the prevalent poverty conditions and the escalating gap between the rich and the poor (Okwuchukwu, 2014).

In addition, the rate of education has also affected media penetration in Nigeria. Education is only accessible in the urban and semi-urban areas where there is access to electricity and passable roads. In the remote areas where such amenities are not available, the rate of illiteracy is very high and therefore making it difficult for people to access any form of media.

When the rate of illiteracy is high, it becomes difficult for people to access any form of media conscious of the fact that individuals must comprehend what is in the media. Therefore, education is a critical part of the growth of the media sector. For the sector to grow, the government must put in more effort to improve the state of education in Nigeria. Similarly, the state of infrastructure is a key determinant of technology. Governments must invest heavily in improving the security in the remote areas by increasing access to electricity, improving roads and schools as a way of ensuring that there is an increased media penetration in the near future (Okwuchukwu, 2014).

How influences of globalization changed the communication landscape

Globalization is the new reality in the world, where countries are persuaded to adopt global induced markets. One of the main triggers of globalization is technology. Emerging technologies are influencing the Nigerian society in various ways. The country is experiencing serious changes in social media, immigration, and terrorism.

Over the past 20 years, there has been an upsurge in the number of social media subscribers in the country. The upsurge in the number of social media users has transformed the society from one that was outgoing in the past to one that is anti-social in recent years. Most of the people in Nigeria today will prefer to spend their time indoors as opposed to meeting friends and families like it was the case in the past. The culture of society has, therefore, been influenced significantly through the increased use of social media (Anao, 2002).

Nigeria has also experienced an increased upsurge in immigration to other countries around the world, such as Europe and America (Anao, 2002). As a result of the sad state of the economy, most people are opting to relocate to other countries where they feel like their lives will improve. America has acted as one of the leading destinations for Nigerians who are leaving Nigeria for greener pastures. Europe and especially the United Kingdom and Italy have also been a key destination point for many Nigerians. Back in Africa, there has been increased immigration to South Africa.

Another pressing issue that has been triggered by globalization is terrorism. In recent years, Nigeria and especially Northern Nigeria, has suffered significantly from increased cases of terrorism. The emergence of the terror group Boko Haram has particularly been a point of concern for many Nigerians. The country has suffered under Boko Haram, which is now controlling most of the parts of Northern Nigeria (Okwuchukwu, 2014). The northern part of Nigeria is rich in oil, and this may have been one of the reasons for the emergence of the terror group, backed up by other global forces. The terror in the northern part, which is mainly inhabited by Muslims, has affected the state of education and significantly. The majority of the children living in the northern region of Nigeria are not able to go to school. In addition, the government is also unable to provide critical resources to this region and thereby stagnating the economy of this region. The fact that the region is rich in oil, which is one of the leading exports by the country, implies that it has also affected the entire Nigerian economy. The majority of the people in this region do not have access to any form of media since critical government services have been cut-off and further driven away from the private sector.

In conclusion, it is evident from this study that Nigeria has made critical advancements in the media sector. It is palpable that the country primarily relies on social media, television, and radio as the main forms of media.  Nigeria is a developing nation and therefore faces challenges in its technological and economic sector, which has affected media penetration. Globalization has also contributed to ushering in new challenges such as immigration and terrorism, all of which have significantly affected the economy of the country.

References

Adigun, A. B. (1992). The Nigerian Press, Hegemony, and the Social Construction of Legitimacy: 1960-1983. Lewiston, NY: The Edwin Mellon Press.

Anao, A. R. (2002). Positioning Nigeria for effective response to the challenges. Retrieved from https://www.globalpolicy.org/globalization/globalization-of-the-economy-2-1/27815.html

Okwuchukwu, G. O. (2014). The influence of media ownership and control on media agenda setting in Nigeria. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education, 1(7), 36-45.

Suleiman, J. (2018). The media, implementation of the Nigerian national communication policy, and citizens’ participation in development. European Scientific Journal, 14(26), 1857 -7881.

Uka, L. U. (1989). Mass Media, People, and Politics in Nigeria. New Delhi, India: Concept Publishing Company.