- The institute will also provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and best practices among media professionals, educators, and policymakers
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, says the Nigerian government remains committed to establishing a UNESCO Category 2 Institute for Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in Nigeria.
The Minister reiterated the commitment during a bilateral meeting with the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, Dr. Tawfik Jelassi, on the sidelines of UNESCO’s 42nd General Conference in Paris.
The proposed Institute will be the first of its kind in Africa and will serve as a hub for research, training and capacity building in media and information literacy.
The institute will also provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and best practices among media professionals, educators, and policymakers.
“This is a sector that I am deeply passionate about,” the Minister said in an official statement.
“I have always said that when I am done as Minister, I will be returning to the media space, which is my home. I therefore have a responsibility to make it better, and UNESCO will get my full support and cooperation,” he furthered.
In 2022 Media and Information Literacy Week which held in Abuja, Nigeria pledged to establish and host the Institute. The plan was later endorsed by a Resolution of the 216th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board, in May 2023.
The establishment of the UNESCO Category 2 Institute for Media and Information Literacy (MIL) will mark a significant step towards promoting media and information literacy in Nigeria, helping to build a critical mass of media professionals who are equipped with the skills and knowledge to navigate the complex media landscape of the 21st century.