Women in Journalism Africa (WIJAFRICA) says the Nigerian media industry is fraught with widespread labour abuses including delayed salaries, unpaid wages and poor welfare conditions.

The findings are contained in its report titled ‘Labour Abuse: How Nigerian Journalists Struggle to Survive’, released on Thursday ahead of International Workers’ Day.

WIJAFRICA is a pan-African network founded in 2014 to advance the professional development, welfare and representation of women journalists across the continent.

The report, based on a four-month study conducted between January and April 2026, drew its findings from interviews with 170 journalists from 50 media organisations across 19 states.

According to the report, many journalists are owed salaries ranging from four months to over a year.

“Across organisations, journalists reported delayed salaries, non-payment of wages, extremely low remuneration, absence of salary reviews, non-remittance of pension contributions and the non-payment of gratuities and retirement benefits,” WIJAFRICA said.

It said journalists are often required to continue working despite the conditions, with little or no communication from management.

The report noted that women journalists face additional challenges, including financial distress, workplace discrimination and, in some cases, sexual harassment.

“Many also described having to rely on personal networks and informal support systems to meet basic living expenses such as rent, school fees and healthcare,” it added.

“The average experience level of respondents was approximately 15 years, indicating that the crisis affects not only entry-level staff but also mid-career and senior professionals.”

Yomi Owope, coordinator of WIJAFRICA, said the situation reflects a systems crisis and a breakdown of labour standards in the industry.

“What we are seeing is beyond poor welfare, extending to a breakdown of labour standards within the media industry. Journalists are working, but many are not being paid on time, not being paid fairly, and are left without any form of protection or long-term security,” Owope said.

He added that the conditions could affect the quality of journalism.

“When journalists are forced into survival mode, it affects how stories are reported. Basically, we are living in a system of paid press releases and sponsored posts,” he added.

The organisation said the findings of the report reinforce urgent need for coordinated action, and called for stronger enforcement of labour laws, improved pension compliance, welfare protections for journalists, and targeted support for the sustainability of the media industry.