Lagos, Nigeria – As part of ongoing efforts to enhance democratic participation and elevate women’s voices in Nigeria’s political landscape, the International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos, is convening a series of high-level consultative forums with key media stakeholders.

Supported by the European Union under its flagship Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Phase II (EU-SDGN II) programme, the engagements aim to strengthen the professionalism of female journalists in reporting women-focused issues in elections, governance, and democratic processes.

The sessions, organised in collaboration with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), are scheduled for Saturday, 24 May 2025, in Port Harcourt and Tuesday, 27 May 2025, in Abuja.

The EU-SDGN II programme reflects the European Union’s broader commitment to supporting a pluralistic, inclusive, and participatory democracy in Nigeria. It spans five key components, including support to INEC, the National Assembly and Judiciary, political parties, civil society, and the media. Each component is designed to strengthen democratic institutions through coordinated and long-term interventions. The overall objective is to foster a functioning democracy that leaves no voice behind.

“At the heart of these consultations is our commitment to exploring innovative, solutions-driven approaches that will amplify women’s voices in the media, especially in the context of elections and political participation,” said Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of IPC.

“We are bringing together female editors, producers, presenters, and senior media executives from across print, broadcast, and online platforms, alongside the national leadership of NAWOJ and GOCOP, to ensure that this effort is collaborative and far-reaching.”

“These forums will also focus on how women journalists can take a more active role in advocating for the representation of women in politics and governance. Journalism must be seen not only as a profession but as a strategic tool for influencing public discourse and shaping policy outcomes,” he added.

“We expect concrete outputs from these engagements, including strategic frameworks for continued collaboration, clear performance benchmarks, and formal Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to guide implementation going forward.”

Arogundade further noted that the consultative forums are part of IPC’s strategic efforts to empower women journalists as key agents for broader gender empowerment and political inclusion.

“These consultations form part of our strategic efforts to empower women journalists towards empowering women in general, and female politicians in particular, as we begin to assess ...-2023 midterm context and look ahead to 2027,” he said.

Participants will be expected to examine practical strategies that elevate the role of women journalists nationwide in promoting women’s voices and issues, while advocating increased representation and visibility in both political processes and governance spaces.

Signed:
Olutoyin Ayoade
Communications Officer
Component 4 (Support to Media)
EU-SDGN II Project
[email protected]

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