The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) and the International Press Centre (IPC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday, 3rd November 2025, to advance inclusive reporting of gender issues in the democratic and electoral process.

GOCOP President, Danlami Nmodu, mni, signed on behalf of the Guild, while Lanre Arogundade, ICP’s Executive Director, signed on behalf of ICP. Monday’s ceremony comes after the IPC’s consultative session with GOCOP leadership held in Abuja on Friday, May 30th.

In his brief remarks before the MoU signing, Nmodu, said GOCOP’s decision to collaborate with the IPC formed part of the Guild’s commitment to promoting inclusiveness and gender equality in Nigeria. He recalled that the collaboration between GOCOP and IPC commenced during the tenure of its first female president, Maureen Chigbo, adding that under his leadership, the Guild will fully implement the MoU as part of its pledge to improve the visibility of women and other minority groups, such as Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), in politics and governance.

He assured that the leadership of GOCOP will spearhead the engagement of women, promote women’s voices and also focus on the sensitisation of female voters on politics, governance, accountability and transparency.

Speaking on promoting trust in the electoral process, Nmodu, stated that to promote the trust of citizens, elected public office-holders must meet the expectations of the electorate.

He also assured that GOCOP members will prioritise the reportage of the implementation of the manifesto of elected candidates as well as the promises made by them during campaigns.

“We believe that the signing of this MoU is coming at the right time, we’ve just had a change of leadership. The new executive is determined to ensure that this partnership between GOCOP and IPC works.

“At GOCOP, we are committed to deepening the reportage of gender issues. We are determined to ensure that we engage, sensitise and enlighten women on elections, governance and other issues of national importance. All of these are to ensure that we widen the scope of female participation in all spheres of society”, Nmodu said.

IPC Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, in his remarks, explained that the MoUs signed with GOCOP and the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) are targeted at ensuring inclusivity, accountability and transparency in the electoral process. He called on GOCOP and NAWOJ to lead the push for impartial election monitoring and reportage, adding that the media should also scrutinise elected government officials, taking them to task on campaign promises.

He said: “As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, discussions regarding electoral trust and stakeholder confidence have become increasingly prominent. A critical factor in the discourse is the understanding that the integrity of any election is determined not only by its final outcomes, but also by the process that precedes them-including voter registration, vote collation and the subsequent announcement of results”.

Earlier in her speech, the National Chairperson of NAWOJ, Aisha Bura Ibrahim, expressed the readiness of the Association to amplify the position of women in politics and governance.

Ibrahim called for credible elections even as she reiterated NAWOJ’s commitment to improving the reportage of issues affecting women.

She stated the need to train and retrain female journalists, improve newsroom management to expand the opportunities for female reporters as we all the widening of access to platforms such as the agreement between NAWOJ and IPC presented.

She said: “NAWOJ insists that inclusive elections are trusted elections. Women must be visible as voters, candidates, election observers, and commentators. By amplifying women’s voices, NAWOJ promotes broader social trust and legitimacy in democracy.

“NAWOJ urges electoral bodies, security agencies, and political parties to maintain openness, fairness, and communication with the public. Transparency in vote counting, result transmission, and dispute resolution is essential for restoring public confidence”.

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, who also spoke at the event, commended IPC, GOCOP and NAWOJ for taking the bold step to increase the visibility of women in the media.

He called on the media to stand on the side of the people and not to serve as the megaphone of the government. He maintained that the media must serve as the compass to guide the nation, especially in critical moments such as the general elections.

SP Orvenonne Ikwen, the Strategic Communications Officer, Force Public Relations Department, Force Headquarters, who represented the Nigeria Police Force at the meeting, said the police will collaborate with the media to deliver on a peaceful and credible election come 2027.

Stakeholders were also presented with IPC’s report on Safeguarding Electoral Integrity For Democratic Consolidation. The report is a component of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) as executed by IPC.