Nigeria has agreed to host the maiden meeting of the African bloc of the National Committees of the International Press Institute (IPI), the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has announced.
The Minister made this known during a meeting in Vienna, Austria, with the Chairman of the IPI Executive Board, Marton Gergely; the Executive Director, Scott Griffen; and Nigeria’s representative on the IPI Executive Board, Raheem Adedoyin.
The IPI Board had earlier approved the creation of regional blocs of national committees to address region-specific interests within the global IPI network.
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Idris said Nigeria’s acceptance to host the inaugural African bloc meeting reflects the country’s leadership in press freedom and media development.
“Nigeria agrees to host the maiden meeting of the African bloc. It is a great honour for us to lead, as we always do,” the Minister said.
He recalled that Nigeria successfully hosted the IPI World Congress and General Assembly in Abuja in 2018, noting that the country was ready for “another world-class hosting.”
While no date has been set for the meeting, Griffen said the IPI Secretariat in Vienna would collaborate with Adedoyin and the IPI Nigeria National Committee to finalize arrangements.
IPI Chairman Marton Gergely described Nigeria as a “leading light in democratic governance with a free press,” while Griffen commended IPI Nigeria for its consistent advocacy on press freedom.
During the meeting, Idris also discussed the need for IPI’s renewed support to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), which was established by the IPI in 1971 under the presidency of the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
The Minister, a member of IPI, participated in the just-concluded IPI World Congress and 75th Anniversary celebration in Vienna.
The Nigerian delegation to the Congress included Raheem Adedoyin, Musikilu Mojeed, Garba Shehu, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, Rafiu Ajakaye, Steve Ayorinde, Prof. Abigail Ogwuensi, and Tobi Soniyi.
