By Aaron Ossai
Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected to declare open the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Enugu on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
The two-day conference, which will take place at The Dome, International Conference Centre, Opara Square Road, Enugu, will begin at 2 p.m. on Thursday and end on Friday, September 25.
The event, the flagship annual gathering of the Guild, will bring together more than 500 editors from across the country, as well as government officials, academics, civil society representatives and other stakeholders.
In a statement signed by the NGE President and General Secretary, Eze Anaba and Onuoha Ukeh, respectively, the Guild said the conference would focus on the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” and the sub-theme, “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election.”
Shettima is expected to address participants on democracy, elections, press freedom and national development, while Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, will also deliver an address.
The conference will be chaired by His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, while former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, will deliver the keynote address.
The Guild said the gathering was designed to provide an opportunity for media leaders and other stakeholders to examine challenges confronting democratic governance, credible elections and national development.
Among the speakers scheduled to participate is Professor Auwal Yadudu of the Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano, who will speak on “Public Trust, Electoral Justice and Democratic Stability.”
The immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, will address the conference on “Election Petitions in the Digital Age: Independence, Evidence, BVAS and the Courts.”
Professor Chinyere Okunna, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Paul University, Awka, will examine “Neutrality, Professionalism and Election Security in Democratic Governance.”
Also expected to speak is Professor Farooq A. Kperogi, Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media at Kennesaw State University, Georgia, United States. He will focus on the conference’s artificial intelligence sub-theme, particularly the detection and debunking of disinformation before, during and after elections.
Other speakers include Martins Oloja, respected journalist and former Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian Newspapers, and columnist and activist Owei Lakemfa. They will jointly address “Reporting Terrorism Without Becoming a Tool for Terrorists.”
Dr Richard Okoye, Founder and Chief Medical Director of Save A Life Hospital, Port Harcourt, will speak on “The Human Side of Journalism: Managing Stress, Deadlines and Personal Wellbeing.”
The second day of the conference will feature an executive session at 12:30 p.m., during which editors will engage governors, political party leaders and heads of government agencies and parastatals on issues of national importance.
According to the Guild, the session is expected to facilitate discussions on governance, institutional accountability and other matters affecting the country.
The NGE said the conference would provide a platform for examining practical strategies to strengthen democratic governance, promote national development and advance nation-building through responsible and responsive journalism.
It added that participants would interrogate the role of the media in protecting credible elections, rebuilding public trust and strengthening democratic values amid emerging challenges, including digital disinformation.
