The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) on Thursday, 31st July 2025, expanded the frontiers of press freedom in the country with the launching of Nigeria’s first ever
subnational Openness Index on Press Freedom.
Supported by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Nigeria, the tool ranks all the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on press freedom and civic space conditions.
CEO of the Centre , Dapo Olorunyomi OON noted that Nigerians have too often assessed democratic progress through a national lens, overlooking how power and civic freedom are negotiated at the state level.
“Our federal structure means that the realities of press freedom, civic participation and open expression differ dramatically from one state to another another. Until now ,this uneven terrain has gone largely unmeasured, ” he said.
Olorunyomi stated that “By combining the lived experiences of over 1,100 respondents with verified incident tracking, this Index offers data-driven picture of where openness thrives and where it is under threat.”
On his part, the CJID Executive Director, Akintunde Babatunde, said “This Index moves the conversation from vague national assessments to concrete, state-by-state data. It’s about visibility, accountability, and protecting the freedoms that uphold our democracy.”
About CJID
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) is a pan-African media development think tank advancing investigative journalism, fact-checking, human rights reporting, media innovation, elections, and journalist safety.
Through initiatives like the Media Freedom Project, CJID employs research, advocacy, coalition-building, monitoring, and strategic litigation to foster open civic spaces and strengthen democratic accountability across the continent.