The Nigerian Union of Journalists is working on a bill to present to the National Assembly. The bill seeks a structured salary for journalists. It aims to ensure proper compensation for the work journalists do in sustaining democracy. The National President, Alhassan Yahya, disclosed this at the fourth edition of the NUJ’s Annual Milestone Recognition of Media Icons in Nigeria on Saturday.
Nigerian journalists are among the poorest paid professionals in the country. Many media houses owe salaries for months. Some pay as low as ₦30,000 a month. The NUJ has campaigned for better welfare for years. In 2022, it proposed a Media Enhancement Bill. In 2025, it revived the push. The bill has not reached the floor. The current effort is the latest attempt.
Yahya said the initiative is to promote media development, professional excellence and the welfare of journalists. “NUJ is open for discussion,” he said. “This time around we are integrating and involving all professional bodies who are working to see that we come with an initiative to a bill that will be presented before the National Assembly for ratification and at the same time to change the narrative.”
He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene. “If the President can approve and increase salary structure for judicial workers, why not journalists?” he asked. He said the time is now.
The event honoured media icons including Martuns Oloja, Segun Adeniyi, Azubuike Ishiekwene, Eric Teniola and Sumner Shagari Sambo. Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori said democracy depends on citizens having access to reliable information. “A free press gives citizens a voice, brings their concerns to public attention, and ensures that those in authority are answerable for their actions,” he said. The immediate past NUJ President, Christopher Isiguzo, urged the media to resist attempts to weaponise information for political advantage.
Winners: The NUJ, which asserts its agenda. Journalists, if the bill passes. Media owners, if the law clarifies salary structures. Democracy, if a better-paid press improves accountability. Losers: Media houses that pay poorly, which face regulation. Critics who see the bill as government interference. Taxpayers, if the law requires subsidies. Journalists in states with weak union presence.
Bottom Line: A salary bill for journalists is long overdue. Poor pay breeds corruption and compromises reporting. The NUJ is right to push. The National Assembly must act. The public deserves a press that can afford to tell the truth.