Stakeholders drawn from media organisations, civil society groups, election observation networks and communication institutions have called for stronger collaboration, improved transparency and enhanced protection for journalists to safeguard the credibility of future elections in Nigeria.
The resolutions were contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a Media-CSO Roundtable on Building Stronger Media-CSO Partnerships for Credible, Peaceful and Inclusive Elections, held on Tuesday at the United Nations House in Abuja.
The event was convened by Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Participants examined challenges confronting election coverage in Nigeria and explored ways of strengthening collaboration between media organisations and civil society actors to promote transparency, accountability and public trust in the electoral process.
A major recommendation from the meeting was the establishment of a verified central platform for timely electoral information that would be accessible to both journalists and civil society organisations. Participants also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct mandatory mock tests of election technologies before elections and formally recognise the media as a critical stakeholder in the electoral process.
The communiqué further recommended that post-election reports should document incidents of journalist harassment, denial of access to information, polling units and collation centres to strengthen accountability and transparency.
To improve collaboration, stakeholders proposed the creation of a joint media-CSO platform for sharing information, resources and verified content. They also advocated the mapping of CSOs according to their thematic expertise to improve sourcing by journalists and called for greater direct information sharing between civil society organisations and media houses.
Participants suggested that CSO personnel operating in remote communities could serve as correspondents in areas with limited media presence, thereby expanding access to election-related information.
On funding and resource mobilisation, the meeting recommended exploring structured support mechanisms through civil society organisations and development partners to enhance election coverage. It also endorsed a proposal by the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) for a shared resource pool that would allow media organisations to access information, photographs, footage and other election-related content.
The safety of journalists featured prominently during discussions. Participants called for the establishment of a Security Accord involving media organisations, civil society groups, security agencies and other stakeholders to provide a formal framework for protecting journalists during election assignments.
They also proposed the creation of an inter-agency consultative security committee with embedded representation from the media and civil society sectors, alongside regular pre-election engagements involving INEC, security agencies and media stakeholders.
The communiqué underscored the need for continuous professional development through election reporting training programmes before, during and after elections. It further recommended extending such training to journalism students, young people and digital content creators, while strengthening capacity in the use of artificial intelligence tools, fact-checking and combating misinformation and disinformation.
Participants stressed the importance of editorial independence and proposed independent channels through which journalists could safely share information that may not be published by their primary media platforms. A dedicated digital portal for journalists and bloggers operating in underserved communities was also recommended.
On fact-checking, the roundtable urged every media organisation to establish dedicated fact-checking desks and treat verification as a core editorial responsibility throughout the electoral cycle.
To address voter apathy, participants called for intensified public enlightenment campaigns and stronger collaboration between the media and civil society organisations on civic education and voter awareness initiatives.
The communiqué also highlighted the need for insurance coverage for journalists, technical personnel and equipment deployed for election coverage. It stressed that videographers, camera operators and other technical staff should be adequately recognised and included in accreditation, security planning and deployment arrangements.
In addition, stakeholders raised concerns about the psychological toll of election reporting, especially in conflict-prone areas. They recommended the establishment of structured psychosocial support systems, including post-trauma counselling, therapy and mental health services for journalists exposed to violence, intimidation and traumatic events during election coverage.
They further urged media organisations to incorporate mental health and trauma-awareness training into pre-deployment preparations and develop staff welfare policies that provide psychological support, debriefing sessions and referral pathways for affected journalists.
The participants reaffirmed their commitment to promoting a free, safe, well-resourced and professionally equipped media environment, describing it as essential for credible elections and democratic governance in Nigeria.
They called on INEC, security agencies, media regulatory bodies, civil society organisations, media proprietors and development partners to take immediate steps toward implementing the recommendations contained in the communiqué.
