The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) reportedly paid N16.5 million to use the Banquet Hall at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, for its 21st All Nigeria Editors Conference, according to an exclusive report by SaharaReporters.
The substantial fee was allegedly necessitated by the commercialization of the Banquet Hall facility, with sources revealing that the venue is no longer available free of charge to organizations seeking to meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The opening session of the conference held on November 12, 2025, at the Presidential Villa Banquet Hall in Abuja, where President Tinubu declared the event open. However, the second day’s proceedings on November 13 moved to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Conference Centre in Kado, Abuja.
According to sources cited by SaharaReporters, the venue arrangement was partly influenced by security protocols preventing the President from attending events outside the Presidential Villa. This restriction reportedly stems from an alleged coup plot involving military personnel that was previously exposed by the online news platform.
“The presidency wouldn’t allow Tinubu to go out of the Villa and hold events. This has been the case since the coup plot by some military personnel was reported,” a top source told SaharaReporters.
During his address at the conference themed “Democratic Governance and National Cohesion: Role of Editors,” President Tinubu urged media practitioners to uphold their responsibility as the Fourth Estate of the Realm in nation-building and democratic sustainability.
The President commended the NGE for its commitment to democracy and national development, challenging editors to shape public discourse constructively to strengthen national unity.
“This conversation is necessary as we continue to build institutions that are transparent, resilient and trusted by our citizens. Throughout our history, journalism in Nigeria has been more than a profession. It has been an instrument of national awakening,” President Tinubu stated.
The President also promised to consider the Guild’s requests for media tax relief and other interventions to ensure the sustainability and vibrancy of Nigeria’s media industry.
The conference attracted over 500 participants, including media executives, government officials, members of the business community, and the diplomatic corps. Notable attendees included the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Saad Abubakar, and Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Chairman of Arise News and ThisDay newspapers, who served as conference chairmen.
Senator Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State, delivered the keynote address, while other speakers included Professor Awa Kalu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who spoke on “Election Disputes and Judicial Integrity: Navigating the Thin Line Between Law and Politics.”
The second day featured General Lucky Irabor (retired), former Chief of Defence Staff, who addressed “Media, Terrorism, and National Security: Addressing the Complexities,” and Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, Dean of the School of Post-Graduate Studies at Baze University, who discussed “The Evolving Face of Journalism: Battling Misinformation, AI Disruption, and Credibility Gap.”
The alleged coup plot referenced by sources involved at least 16 senior military officers who were detained in October by the Armed Forces of Nigeria. While official military statements attributed their detention to repeated failure in promotion examinations and career stagnation, intelligence sources told SaharaReporters the officers were actually arrested for planning to overthrow President Tinubu’s government.
The alleged coup attempt was reportedly thwarted following intelligence gathering by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and sister agencies. Some sources also linked the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade to security concerns arising from the coup plot.