APPMEN Establishes Lagos Council to Strengthen Private Media Industry
…Chief Precious Enebuse, National Coordinator, Inaugurates Princess Agbonifo-led Council via Zoom from Abuja
…Grand Patron Declares Lagos “Cradle and Powerhouse of African Press”
By Naomi Onome
It was history, it was power, it was purpose.
The Association of Proprietors of Private Media Establishment of Nigeria (APPMEN) has inaugurated its Lagos State Council, marking a significant step towards strengthening private media ownership, promoting professionalism, protecting media practitioners and creating economic opportunities for independent media organisations.
The inauguration, held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at No. 133, Idimu-Ejigbo Road, Alimosho, Lagos, brought together proprietors of private media establishments and other stakeholders in the media industry.
The ceremony was formally conducted virtually by APPMEN National Coordinator, Chief Precious Enebuse, who joined the event via Zoom from the association’s National Secretariat in Abuja, where he was engaged in a national assignment.
The inauguration marked the formal commencement of activities of the Lagos State Council under the leadership of Princess Agbonifo as State Coordinator, with Comrade Onome Naomi Onojaefe serving as State Publicity Secretary.
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Speaking during his keynote address at 11 a.m., Enebuse apologised for his physical absence but stressed that technology should not constitute a barrier to effective leadership and institutional progress.
He described the inauguration as a historic milestone for the association, emphasising the strategic importance of Lagos to Nigeria’s media industry and the broader African media landscape.
“Today is not just another meeting. Today is history. For the first time since the formation of APPMEN, we are inaugurating our engine room, our heartbeat, our headquarters of media in Africa — Lagos State Council,” he declared.
According to him, Lagos occupies a central position in the country’s media industry, making the establishment of a functional state council essential to advancing the interests of private media proprietors.
“Lagos is not just a state. Lagos is the media capital of Africa. If you can conquer media in Lagos, you have conquered media in Nigeria. Private media owners are the most oppressed and the least protected — we own the platforms, we pay staff, we generate content, but we have no voice. APPMEN is that voice,” Enebuse said.
He expressed confidence in the capacity of the newly inaugurated leadership, describing Princess Agbonifo as a tested, trusted and tenacious leader capable of advancing the association’s objectives in Lagos.
He also identified Onome Naomi Onojaefe as a key member of the state leadership, describing her as a firebrand and a digital Amazon.
Addressing members on the theme, “Voice, Vision, Purpose,” the national coordinator charged the Lagos council to provide a strong and united voice for private media proprietors, promote development journalism over gossip-driven reporting and create opportunities for members to grow professionally and financially.
He highlighted training programmes through the APPMEN Institute for Communication and Media Studies, access to grants and the development of corporate partnerships as important strategies for improving the capacity and sustainability of private media organisations.
Enebuse subsequently exercised the powers conferred on him as national coordinator to formally inaugurate the Lagos State Council.
Princess Agbonifo Unveils Three-Point Agenda
In her acceptance speech, the newly inaugurated State Coordinator, Princess Agbonifo, described the occasion as a collective achievement rather than a personal milestone.
“This is OUR inauguration, not my inauguration,” she said, stressing the importance of unity and shared responsibility among members.
Agbonifo acknowledged the difficulties confronting private media proprietors, particularly the financial pressures associated with running media platforms, sustaining operations and meeting the demands of digital publishing.
“I know the pain of being a private media owner in Lagos — buying data with your last money and still being called ‘small blogger.’ Today, that story ends. Today, APPMEN Lagos begins,” she declared.
She subsequently unveiled a three-point agenda tagged “The 3 Ps” — Professionalism, Protection and Prosperity — which she described as the foundation of her administration’s plans for the council.
Professionalism
Under the first pillar, Agbonifo pledged to organise quarterly masterclasses aimed at improving members’ professional competence and strengthening standards in private media practice.
The proposed training programmes will cover fact-checking, investigative reporting, monetisation and the application of artificial intelligence tools in journalism and digital media production.
She said the programmes would be pursued through the APPMEN Institute for Communication and Media Studies.
The council also plans to promote self-regulation as part of efforts to discourage fake news, improve content credibility and encourage responsible journalism among private media practitioners.
Protection
The second pillar focuses on the safety, security and professional rights of members.
Agbonifo announced plans to establish a Rapid Response Desk to provide a channel through which members facing harassment, threats or intimidation in the course of their work could seek assistance.
“If you are harassed, threatened or intimidated anywhere in Lagos because of your job, you call me first,” she said.
She also pledged to engage relevant authorities, including the Lagos State Government, the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), on issues affecting the safety and working conditions of private media practitioners.
The proposed engagement is intended to strengthen institutional communication and provide a framework for addressing concerns arising from members’ professional activities.
Prosperity
The third pillar focuses on the economic sustainability of private media establishments.
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Agbonifo announced plans to lead a delegation of APPMEN Lagos members to engage corporate organisations in Lagos, including banks, telecommunications companies and real estate firms, to explore advertising opportunities and other forms of commercial partnership.
She also proposed the establishment of an APPMEN Lagos Cooperative, to operate as a branch of the national secretariat’s cooperative structure, to facilitate access to monetisation opportunities, grants and loans.
The initiative is expected to help members navigate revenue opportunities associated with digital platforms, including Meta, Google and YouTube.
Setting a target for her administration, Agbonifo declared that, on or before October 2027, every financially active member should have earned money through opportunities facilitated by the council.
She summarised the objectives of her agenda by stating: “Professionalism will give us RESPECT. Protection will give us SAFETY. Prosperity will give us SUSTAINABILITY.”
Her agenda places emphasis on improving professional standards, strengthening the security of media practitioners and expanding the revenue opportunities available to private media businesses.
Grand Patron Identifies Lagos as Cradle of Nigerian Press
In a message delivered on behalf of the Grand Patron of APPMEN, Lagos was described as the cradle and powerhouse of the African press, with a historical legacy that continues to shape the development of journalism in Nigeria.
The Grand Patron recalled that the history of Nigerian newspapers dates back to 1859, when Reverend Henry Townsend established Iwe Irohin in Abeokuta, present-day Ogun State.
The publication is widely recognised as Nigeria’s first newspaper.
The message nevertheless emphasised Lagos’s enduring importance as a major centre for media operations, business decisions and the development of private media organisations.
“Lagos remains the powerhouse. Today, over 70% of Nigeria’s private media decisions happen from this Centre of Excellence,” the Grand Patron stated.
He outlined four key responsibilities for the newly inaugurated council.
First, he urged the council to lead by professional standards rather than noise, encouraging it to champion credibility and responsible journalism. He also called for the introduction of the APPMEN Certified Seal, beginning with Lagos.
Second, he urged the association to bridge the gap between traditional and emerging media by respecting the legacy of conventional journalism while embracing digital content creators, including TikTokers, YouTubers and podcasters.
Third, he called for information to be used as a tool for stability, urging the immediate launch of the proposed APPMEN Lagos Fact-Check Hub and Rapid Response Desk.
Fourth, he encouraged members to pursue collective economic growth through the establishment of an APPMEN Lagos Ad Network.
According to him, a united network of media organisations would be better positioned to attract advertising opportunities than individual platforms operating independently.
“What one blog cannot get, a Council of 500 can command,” he stated.
The Grand Patron also described October 10, 2026, as a date of perfect alignment, expressing the hope that the inauguration would help unite private media proprietors towards building a more informed, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.
Council Issues Communique, Calls for Wider Membership
At the conclusion of the inauguration, the Lagos State Council issued a communique outlining its commitments and priorities.
The council reaffirmed its loyalty to the APPMEN National Secretariat and pledged to pursue the three pillars of professionalism, protection and prosperity as the foundation of its activities.
It also called on private media proprietors in Lagos who are yet to register with the association to join, stressing the importance of a united platform for advancing the interests of independent media establishments.
The communique reflects the council’s commitment to strengthening cooperation among private media owners, improving professional standards, addressing the challenges confronting practitioners and creating opportunities for members to achieve sustainable growth.
The proposed initiatives, including professional training, the Rapid Response Desk, fact-checking activities, cooperative arrangements and advertising partnerships, are expected to form part of the council’s implementation priorities.
The successful implementation of these commitments will depend on the council’s ability to mobilise members, establish functional structures and secure the partnerships required to translate its plans into measurable outcomes.
Onome Naomi Onojaefe Gives Vote of Thanks
The ceremony ended with a vote of thanks delivered by the State Publicity Secretary, Comrade Onome Naomi Onojaefe.
Group photographs and networking sessions followed, providing members with an opportunity to interact and discuss the way forward for the newly inaugurated council.
With the inauguration, APPMEN Lagos State Council begins its activities with an agenda centred on professional development, the protection of media practitioners and the creation of sustainable business opportunities for private media establishments.
The council’s immediate challenge will be to translate the commitments announced at the ceremony into practical programmes that deliver measurable benefits to members and strengthen the contribution of private media to Nigeria’s information ecosystem.
Signed:
Comrade Onome Naomi Onojaefe
State Publicity Secretary
APPMEN Lagos State Council
For: National Secretariat
Official website: Association of Proprietors of Private Media Establishment of Nigeria (APPMEN)
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