The Nigerian Youths Parliament and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria have begun stakeholder consultations to develop a media action plan for Borno State. The initiative, known as the Borno State Media Action Plan, aims to strengthen media and information literacy across the state. A meeting was held in Maiduguri, where participants examined practical approaches to achieving this goal. The plan is expected to be implemented between 2027 and 2031.
The media action plan has five thematic areas, including misinformation, disinformation, and rumor management. Other areas of focus are peacebuilding, hate speech, and extremist propaganda, as well as digital and media literacy for youths and communities. The plan also covers responsible journalism, public information, and strategic government communication, and community participation, civic information, and sustainable media literacy systems.
Hajiya Fatima Lamisula presented the framework for the meeting, which involved breakout sessions to translate stakeholders' experiences into practical components of the media action plan. The sessions aimed to identify problems, their consequences, and existing gaps, before developing solutions, priority actions, and measurable indicators. The process involves representatives from government, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, civil society organizations, academics, and concerned citizens.
The Nigerian Youths Parliament's initiative has received commendations from the Chairman of the NUJ Borno Council, Abdulkareem Haruna. He assured the organizers of the union's cooperation and support toward the successful development and implementation of the proposed action plan. ALGON has also expressed its commitment to supporting the initiative, which aims to contribute to the development of young people, the state, and citizens.
The collaboration between the Nigerian Youths Parliament and ALGON is expected to promote effective access to credible information and sustainable community development. Participants are expected to contribute recommendations that would guide the formulation of the Borno State Media Action Plan. The plan is designed to bring together diverse perspectives on public policies, professional journalism, community needs, research, accountability, citizen participation, and effective communication.
The Media Stakeholders' Technical Alignment meeting was attended by dozens of participants, who examined practical approaches to strengthening media and information literacy across the state. The meeting provided a platform for stakeholders to share their experiences and propose solutions to the challenges facing the media in Borno State. The outcome of the meeting is expected to inform the development of the media action plan.
The Borno State Media Action Plan is expected to be finalized after stakeholders' consultations and input. The plan will provide a framework for promoting media literacy, peacebuilding, and community development in the state. The implementation of the plan is expected to commence in 2027 and will be monitored and evaluated to ensure its effectiveness.
Key points
- The Nigerian Youths Parliament and ALGON are collaborating to develop a media action plan for Borno State.
- The plan aims to strengthen media and information literacy across the state.
- The initiative has received support from the Nigeria Union of Journalists and ALGON.
