The Federal Government says the ongoing upgrade of the National Press Centre in Abuja will transform the facility into a modern digital media hub equipped with high-speed internet connectivity and world-class facilities to support journalists covering government activities and national events.

Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, disclosed this on Monday after inspecting renovation work at the National Press Centre, located at Radio House, Abuja, as part of a tour of media infrastructure projects under the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.

According to the Minister, the revamped facility is designed to strengthen the working environment for journalists by providing the digital infrastructure and modern amenities required for effective news gathering and reporting.

“The National Press Centre must fulfil its mandate as Nigeria’s foremost media hub. It is being redesigned to provide journalists with a conducive environment and modern facilities to carry out their professional responsibilities effectively,” Idris says.

“The National Press Centre must fulfil its mandate as Nigeria’s foremost media hub. It is being redesigned to provide journalists with a conducive environment and modern facilities to carry out their professional responsibilities effectively,” Idris says.

National Press Centre upgrade to improve efficiency

The Minister expressed satisfaction with the pace of work on the project and directed the contractors to complete the renovation within the agreed timeline, noting that he would return for a final inspection before the centre is commissioned.

The National Press Centre serves as a key venue for government briefings, press conferences and interactions between public officials and members of the media. The planned upgrade is expected to improve connectivity and enhance journalists’ ability to report events in real time.

The inspection of the Press Centre followed a visit to the headquarters of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), where Idris also examined a newly completed television studio that he described as one of the best broadcast facilities in Nigeria and among the finest on the African continent.

He says both projects form part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader agenda to modernise the country’s public information infrastructure and reposition government-owned media organisations for improved service delivery.

“What we have seen today is the fulfilment of President Bola Tinubu’s promise to modernise Nigeria’s public broadcasting facilities. This is one of the best studios in Nigeria and among the finest on the African continent,” the Minister said while inspecting the NTA facility.

According to him, the government’s investment extends beyond physical infrastructure to include the procurement of modern broadcast equipment for NTA stations nationwide, alongside similar upgrades at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), the Voice of Nigeria (VON) and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He noted that improving public communication requires not only modern facilities but also investments in innovation, content development, professionalism and human capacity.

“The Digital Switch Over and the investments in modern broadcast infrastructure are opening a new chapter for Nigeria’s information sector. By the time this reform programme is completed, Nigerians will witness a truly transformed public broadcasting system,” Idris saiys.

The Minister added that the Tinubu administration is also committed to improving the welfare of workers across the information sector, stressing that investments in infrastructure must be matched with investments in personnel.

The planned transformation of the National Press Centre comes as media organisations increasingly depend on reliable broadband connectivity, digital content production tools and real-time communication platforms to deliver news across multiple channels.

With high-speed internet expected to become one of the centre’s core features, journalists covering government activities will have improved capacity to file stories, upload multimedia content, conduct virtual interviews and collaborate with newsrooms more efficiently.

The initiative also aligns with broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s digital communications ecosystem and improve access to credible information through better-equipped public media institutions.

Idris reiterated that the ongoing upgrades across government-owned media organisations reflect the administration’s commitment to strengthening public communication, promoting credible information dissemination and repositioning Nigeria’s information sector to meet international standards.