Vice President Kashim Shettima is billed to lead an array of dignitaries to this year’s International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM).
The number of eminent Nigerians expected at the annual event underscores the significance IPI attaches to it.
The 2025 annual conference and AGM will be held on December 2 and 3, at the NICON Luxury Hotel, Central Business District, Abuja.
Among the high-profile guests expected are the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi; a Professor of Mass Communication and Registrar of Baze University, Abuja, Abiodun Adeniyi; a former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; a former spokesperson to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu; and a former State Chief of Protocol to ex-President Buhari, Ambassador Lawal Kazaure.
Several other eminent personalities and senior media leaders, including the Executive Director of IPI Global, Scott Grifen; and former Governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba, are also billed to attend the event.
Presidents of major media associations have similarly been invited to the event.
They include the President of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Maiden Alex-Ibru; the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Eze Anaba; the President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), Danlami Nmodu; and the President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahya Abdul.
Heads of agencies under the Ministry of Information and National Orientation will also be present.
They comprise the Directors General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu; Voice of Nigeria (VON), Jubrin Baba Ndace; Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Mohammed Bulama; Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Salihu Dembos; as well as the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali M. Ali.
Other expected attendees include a former Director of Information in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Haruna Imrana; former Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Gbemiga Ogunleye; IPI Global Board Member, Raheem Adedoyin; Associate Professor of Mass Communication at Bayero University, Kano, Sule Yau Sule; and the Publisher of PRNigeria, Yushau Shuaib.
Shettima will chair the conference, while Minister Idris will deliver a special remark.
Griffen will present a message of solidarity from the IPI headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
The unveiling of IPI Nigeria’s Book of Infamy will be performed by Professor Adeniyi, while the President of IPI Nigeria, Musikilu Mojeed, will coordinate a Surprise Honorary Event.
The first paper of the conference, titled: Addressing Media Repression in Nigeria: Safeguarding Press Freedom and Democratic Accountability, will be delivered by the Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Edetaen Ojo.
This session will be moderated by Funke Egbemode, with panelists including the Executive Director of the International Press Centre, Lanre Arogundade; Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin; Deputy Director at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Busola Ajibola; and Special Adviser at the Office of the National Security Adviser, Idayat Hassan.
The second paper, titled: Building Sustainable Media in Nigeria: Navigating Innovation, Credibility, and Revenue Challenges, will be delivered by the President/CEO of CBD MediaEdge Communications Limited and Co-Founder of Media Trust Limited, Isiaq Ajibola.
The session will feature a panel comprising the Vice-Chair of Channels Television, Olusola Momoh; Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP, Azu Ishiekwene; and the Director of the MacArthur Foundation in Nigeria, Kole Shettima.
Moderation will be handled by Professor Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, a Professor of Mass Communication and Director of the Institute of Continuing Education (ICE), University of Lagos (UNILAG).
Activities on the second day are exclusive to IPI Nigeria members and will culminate in the induction of new members.
