Minister of Information Pays Own Newspaper Company, 8 Major Others over ₦154m for ‘Publication of President Tinubu Administration
In May 2024, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, under the leadership of Honourable Mohammed Idris, who is also the founder and publisher of Blueprint Newspapers Limited, disbursed over ₦154 million to his newspaper and eight other prominent media organisations for the publication of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The specific context surrounding these payments remains unclear; however, an investigation by the PIJAlance Research and Investigations Desk (RID) utilising the GovSpend platform—a resource that tracks expenditures of the Nigerian Federal Government—revealed that a total of nine major Nigerian media outlets, including Blueprint Newspapers Limited, were paid to disseminate information regarding President Tinubu’s administration.
According to documentation related to the payments, the Ministry allocated ₦15,000,000 to six distinct media organisations for the aforementioned publication purposes. Additional payments included ₦14,700,000 to one organisation and ₦24,832,500 to another, with the highest payment of ₦25,000,000 made to a single entity. Collectively, these transactions amounted to ₦154,532,500, designated for the promotion of President Tinubu’s administration.
The payments made in May 2024 have sparked increased concerns regarding the financial burden of governance in Nigeria. Stakeholders, activists, and financial experts have consistently urged the Nigerian Government to curtail excessive governmental operational costs.
Notably, Blueprint Newspapers Limited received a payment of ₦15,000,000. Yet, the awarding of contracts to companies owned by civil servants or politicians in power is illegal. Particularly, it raises significant ethical questions, as outlined by the Public Procurement Act (2007).
Part IX of the Act, known as the Code of Conduct, specifically Section 9, Subsection B, states that “Every public officer involved directly or indirectly in matters of public procurement and disposal of assets shall: (b) not engage or participate in any commercial transaction involving the federal government, its ministries, extra-ministerial departments, or corporations, where their capacity as a public officer is likely to confer any unfair advantage—pecuniary or otherwise—on themselves or any person directly related to them.”
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Research and Investigations Desk (RID)
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