By, Nura Ajingi
Stakeholders in the media, government and civil society have converged in Kano for the maiden Arewa Media Summit, with a call for a new “Government-Citizen Accord” built on accountability, responsibility and ethical media practice.
The summit, held on Sunday, July 6, 2026, at the Kano State Government House, brought together over 1,000 media leaders, practitioners, content creators and social influencers from across Northern Nigeria.
In his welcome address, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Public Enlightenment, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, said the summit was convened to address the growing distrust between government, citizens and the media.
“You’re all welcome to Kano, the city of dialogue, politics and enterprise,” he said. “We are gathered to discuss: Government-Citizen Accord: Accountability, Responsibility and Ethical Media Practice — and this could not be more timely.”
Abdulaziz described an “accord” as a pact of mutual duties in which government must be open and accountable, citizens must engage with facts not rumour, and the media must serve as “arbiter, bridge, translator and conscience.”
“No nation develops in an atmosphere of distrust,” he warned. “Ethical media practice restores that missing trust. Accurate reporting, fair context, and verified facts give citizens confidence. In short: ethical media is not a luxury. It is infrastructure for unity, progress and growth.”
He charged social media influencers, whom he described as the “new gatekeepers,” to embrace responsibility ahead of the 2027 elections.
“A viral post can mobilize hope, but it can also mobilize anger before facts are checked… Influencers must see themselves as custodians of public peace, not just content creators. Fact-check before you post. Correct mistakes openly,” he said.
The presidential aide commended the Kano State Government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for hosting the summit and reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to free speech, dialogue and deepening democracy.
As part of activities leading to the summit, he said over 100 social media supporters of the APC and Tinubu administration were trained on communicating government programmes. He also announced the flag-off of the _Gani-Ya-Kori-Ji_ initiative, a project inspection tour across Northern Nigeria targeting Hausa-speaking audiences to showcase “under-celebrated” projects of the federal and state governments.
“Let this summit be where we agree on a simple code: government will open more doors, citizens will demand with civility, media and influencers will report with integrity,” Abdulaziz said.
He noted that participants were drawn from all states in Northern Nigeria to reflect the region’s plurality, with panel discussions designed to interrogate the relationship between leaders and the led in a democracy.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf was praised for “changing the face of Kano and repositioning its place within the Nigerian socio-economic landscape.”
The summit is expected to produce commitments aimed at strengthening trust, combating fake news and improving public communication across the region.
