The Struggle for Community broadcasting in Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999 and its successive democratic transitions have opened up the space for freedom of expression for the country’s population of over 163 million people; 60.9 percent of whom live in absolute poverty conditions and overwhelming basic socioeconomic challenges of: high maternal and infant mortality, unemployment, illiteracy, poor healthcare services, youth restiveness and fatal insurgencies, weak physical infrastructure, among others. Yet, political aspirations for inclusive participation of the majority and contextualisation of development remained elusive due to non-democratisation of access and use of information for freedom of expression. This imperative to positively and qualitatively hasten progress has eluded the citizenry due to unfavourable policies, legal and regulatory frameworks. This paper charts a way for the success of community broadcasting in Nigeria, from legal provision in holistic practice in consonance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The African Charter on Broadcasting and the Windhoek Declaration to establish, maintain and foster independent, pluralistic and free press; all of which are essential to guaranteeing the fundamental human rights of Nigerians in line with the provisions of Sections 22 and 39 of the country’s constitution.