The 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) is set to hold in Enugu on Thursday, September 24, and Friday, September 25, 2026. The conference, which is the flagship annual gathering of the Guild, will take place at The Dome, International Conference Centre, Opara Square Road, Enugu. Vice President Kashim Shettima will declare the conference open on Thursday at 2pm.
The conference theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” and the sub-theme, “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election,” will be addressed by Shettima, alongside other speakers. The Vice President is also expected to speak on other issues relating to democracy, elections, press freedom, and national development.
Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, will also address the conference, which is expected to attract over 500 editors from across the country, alongside government officials, academics, civil society representatives, and other stakeholders. The conference will focus on critical national and global issues with significant social, economic, and political implications.
His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, will chair the conference, while former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, will deliver the keynote address. Other notable speakers include Professor Auwal Yadudu of the Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano, and Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, the immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
On the second day of the conference, respected journalist and public speaker, Mr. Martins Oloja, and newspaper columnist and activist, Owei Lakemfa, will speak on “Reporting Terrorism Without Becoming a Tool for Terrorists.” Professor Chinyere Okunna of Paul University, Awka, will address the conference on “Neutrality, Professionalism and Election Security in Democratic Governance.”
The conference will also feature a presentation by Professor Farooq A. Kperogi, a Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media at Kennesaw State University, Georgia, United States, on the detection and debunking of false information before, during, and after elections. An Executive Session will be held on the second day, during which editors will engage governors, political party leaders, and heads of government agencies and parastatals on issues of national importance.
The Nigerian Guild of Editors has stated that the conference will provide a platform for editors and other stakeholders to examine practical pathways for strengthening democratic governance, promoting national development, and advancing nation-building through responsible and responsive journalism. The conference is supported by the Enugu State Government, UNESCO, Craneburg, NNPC, Zenith Bank, NCC, and others.
Key points
- Vice President Kashim Shettima to declare open the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
- The conference theme is “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive.”
- Over 500 editors are expected to attend the conference, which will focus on critical national and global issues.
