The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) invites journalists, media executives, civil society organisations, human rights advocates, legal practitioners, security agencies, regulators, policymakers, development partners, researchers, students and members of the public to the August edition of its Journalism & Society Conversations on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, at 11:00 a.m. (WAT).
Held under the theme, ‘Silenced Voices, Shrinking Space: Navigating Civic Freedoms and Press Resilience in Nigeria,’ the virtual dialogue will examine the findings of the WSCIJ 2025 Journalism and Civic Space Status Report, Silenced Voices, Shrinking Space: Civic Freedoms Under Pressure, and explore what the evidence reveals about the state of civic freedoms, press resilience and democratic accountability in Nigeria.
Despite the guarantees of Sections 39 and 22 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which protect freedom of expression and recognise the media’s watchdog role, civic space in Nigeria continues to face increasing pressure.
Findings from the 2025 Journalism and Civic Space Status Report, which documented 245 civic space infractions across 570 media reports by 54 media organisations, point to a growing reliance on administrative and legal measures that undermine civic freedoms and democratic accountability.
The August edition of Journalism & Society Conversations will provide a platform for evidence-informed dialogue on the report’s findings, institutional vulnerabilities that enable civic space violations, and practical strategies for strengthening press resilience and safeguarding constitutional freedoms.
The conversation will explore:
- The changing nature of civic space violations and the growing use of administrative and legal measures to restrict civic freedoms.
- The implications of the Cybercrimes Act, digital surveillance and other regulatory measures for freedom of expression, investigative journalism, and civic engagement.
- The realities confronting journalists and newsrooms, alongside practical strategies for strengthening media resilience, protecting civic freedoms and advancing democratic accountability.
Building on the public presentation of the 2025 Journalism and Civic Space Status Report at the 18th Wole Soyinka Centre Media Lecture Series, this edition of Journalism & Society Conversations extends the national dialogue by examining the evidence behind the findings and advancing collaborative solutions to strengthen civic space, press resilience and democratic accountability.
Join the conversation here: https://bit.ly/WSCIJ-Xspace-Aug
