International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: On May 29, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his inaugural speech, announced the removal of fuel subsidies in Nigeria in an effort to address the many economic challenges facing the country. This decision was met with mixed reactions and controversies from the public, with some supporting the move as necessary for economic reform, while others criticised it as a burden on the already struggling populace. The media effectively reported these reactions in line with its crucial role of shaping public opinion and perception of government policies and actions. Newspaper framing, in particular, can influence how individuals understand and interpret political decisions.
Objective: This study investigated framing of the May 2023 fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration in Leadership and The Nation newspapers in Nigeria with a focus on prominence, story type/genre used, and direction of story.
Method: The research design adopted for the study was content analysis, the theories used were Framing Theory and Agenda-Setting Theory. Further, the population of the study was 280 and the sample size was 112. This was because the study purposively selected the Mondays and Thursdays Editions of the two newspapers. Newspapers typically run serious, exclusive stories on Mondays and reserve other stories for use on Thursdays, which is the last working day before Friday hence the decision to narrowed the sample to Mondays and Thursdays. The sampling techniques were purposive and convenience sampling. Results: A key finding of the research was that the economic frame was the most dominant frame used by both newspapers in their framing of the issue, suggesting that the newspapers focused more on the economic implications of either removing or retaining fuel subsidy.
Conclusion: The study concludes that while the Leadership newspaper was sympathetic to the fears of Nigerians about the removal of fuel subsidy, The Nation newspaper supported the government’s policy essentially because of its ownership preference. Unique contribution: The study contributes to framing studies and literature by providing insights into how Nigerian press covered the fuel subsidy regime and how it has impacted the Nigerian economy. Recommendations: The researcher recommended, among other things, that journalists should frame issues based on public interest. The journalists should also ensure that newspapers to cover more stories about public interest issues and prioritise socially responsible reporting.