Media Rights Agenda’s (MRA) Deputy Executive Director, Mr Ayode Longe, has made a strong call for the decriminalization of expression in Nigeria, arguing that the world is moving away from criminalising expression, especially defamation and criticism of public officials, to treating such issues as civil matters.
He also urged the media to give greater attention to reporting civic space violations, emphasising that protecting journalists and defending press freedom require stronger solidarity and responsiveness across the profession, and that without an unfettered civic space, Nigeria’s democracy would be degraded, as citizens’ participation is an essential principle of democracy.
Mr Longe made the call on July 30, 2026, at the Journalists’ Timeout, an exclusive gathering hosted by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) for journalists to unwind, connect, and engage in meaningful conversations outside the usual newsroom rush. It was organised under the WSCIJ’s Civic Space Guard programme, which focuses on the Centre’s latest publication, the 2025 Journalism and Civic Space Status Report, titled Silenced Voices, Shrinking Space: Civic Freedoms Under Pressure, launched at the 18th Wole Soyinka Media Lecture Series. It featured an interactive session on the theme: “The Findings in Focus: Unpacking the 2025 Journalism and Civic Space Status Report.”
Mrs Motunrayo Alaka, Executive Director/CEO of WSCIJ, represented by Ms Mariam Alo, WSCIJ Programmes Officer, welcomed participants to the informal convening, which, she said, was designed to offer journalists a brief respite from frantic newsroom deadlines while tackling pressing industry realities. Emphasising the core mission of the Centre’s Civic Space Guard project. Mrs Alaka noted that Nigeria’s civic space needs protection and that as guardians of civic space, journalists must be able to carry out their work safely. She described media professionals as frontline defenders, without whose relentless reporting, countless civic space infractions would remain undocumented and unnoticed.
Mr Nurudeen Salako, Programmes Officer, WSCIJ, presented data which reveals that the 2025 Civic Space Status report tracked 245 distinct civic space infractions drawn from an analysis of 570 media reports across 54 media platforms, highlighting a significant escalation compared to previous years, and showing a jump from 124 incidents in 2023 and 103 incidents in 2024 to 245 incidents in 2025. Mr Salako noted that the right to freedom of expression emerged as the most frequently violated constitutional right in 2025. This, he said, underscored persistent threats to citizens’ ability to speak freely and participate in democratic life.
To reverse these concerning trends, he also presented the recommendations of the report, which called on journalists, media houses, and civil society to institutionalise civic space reporting, enhance safety protocols, and expand community education. It urges the legislature and the executive to review restrictive laws like the Cybercrimes Act, protect digital rights, and publicly condemn attacks on civic actors. Additionally, security and law enforcement agencies were advised to adopt rights-compliant operational protocols, reduce excessive force during assemblies, and strengthen internal accountability.
In his reflection on the findings and recommendations, Mr Lekan Otufodunrin, Executive Director, Media Career Development Network (MCDN), urged stakeholders to view the data not as a source of fear but as a catalyst for urgent action. Mr Otufodunrin stressed that freedom of expression remains the foundation upon which every other right stands, warning that any attack on the civic space is ultimately a direct assault on democracy itself.
He led the conversation around the report findings and recommendations, as well as the safety of journalists, which deepened with interactions from participants, that included journalists and representatives of civil society organisations.
Participants called for stronger solidarity within the media, a renewed commitment to ethical and credible journalism, consistent follow-up reporting of attacks on journalists regardless of the platform they work for, and more coordinated advocacy to ensure that civic space violations are challenged and perpetrators held accountable. Participants agreed that while documenting violations is essential, it is not enough, and protecting civic space ultimately requires collective action, sustained collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to defending press freedom and democratic values.
