THE International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria has announced plans to commission a new Press Freedom Hub in Abuja as part of activities to commemorate 2026 World Press Freedom Day.
In a statement on May 4, the organisation said the facility, located along Kado Expressway, Abuja, would be officially opened on Wednesday, May 6.
IPI Nigeria is affiliated with the International Press Institute, a global network of editors, media executives, and journalists operating in over 100 countries.
Established in 1950, the organisation has played a significant role in promoting press freedom worldwide.
According to IPI Nigeria’s Secretary, Ahmed Shekarau, the new headquarters will serve as a central base for advancing press freedom and supporting journalists and media professionals across the country.
“The centre will anchor our media advocacy programmes and accelerate efforts to promote press freedom and protect journalists facing threats and censorship,” the President of IPI Nigeria, Musikilu Mojeed, said.
Mojeed added that the hub would also function as a platform for periodic assessments of media freedom and journalist safety, while promoting policy and legal reforms aimed at strengthening independent journalism.
He noted that it would further provide a space for dialogue between the media and government institutions.
The development is against the backdrop of persistent harassment, intimidation, and arrests of journalists in Nigeria.
The ICIR reports that in recent years, media practitioners have reported increasing pressure from security agencies and public officials, with cases ranging from unlawful detention to the use of cybercrime and defamation laws to silence critical reporting.
According to a recent report by the Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Nigeria currently ranks 112th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M