The Federal Government on Friday firmly dismissed viral reports suggesting that its ongoing Ministerial Press Briefing sessions were being relocated from Abuja to London, describing the claim as false, misleading, and designed to stir public discontent.

The clarification came amid growing backlash on social media and in local press over an unverified report that top cabinet ministers would travel to the United Kingdom to unveil President Bola Tinubu’s achievements at an international press conference. Critics had accused the government of neglecting domestic accountability in favor of foreign validation.

Addressing the issue during the eighth edition of the Ministerial Press Briefing at the National Press Centre in Abuja, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made it clear that no such event was planned outside Nigeria.

“This briefing is your answer to the falsehood making the rounds,” Idris stated. 

“We are not taking any media engagement abroad. Our duty is first and foremost to Nigerians, which is why we host these sessions right here in Abuja.”

Idris emphasised that the Ministerial Press Briefings were conceived to promote transparency and keep Nigerians informed about the policies, achievements, and challenges of the Tinubu administration.

“The platform being used by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation is purely domestic.

“Any report suggesting otherwise is not only false but an attempt to mislead the public and distract from the government’s ongoing efforts,” he said.

Also present was the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, who had been specifically named in the erroneous reports as one of the officials scheduled to speak at the alleged London event. Umahi categorically denied any involvement.

“There is no such event in London, and I have no knowledge of it,” Umahi said. “Our focus is here—working with Nigerians, reporting to Nigerians.”

The minister used the opportunity to shift attention back to tangible developments, especially on the economic front.

He announced a decline in inflation based on the April 2025 report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

“The headline inflation rate has dropped to 23.71% in April, down from 24.23% in March,” Idris noted.

“Month-on-month inflation also fell sharply from 3.90% to 1.86%—a sign that the government’s economic policies are starting to take effect.”

He highlighted improvements in food prices, noting that the year-on-year food inflation rate slowed to 21.26%, driven by lower costs for key staples such as rice, maize flour, yam flour, okra, soya beans, and beans.

“We’re not yet where we want to be, but the data gives us reason to be hopeful,” Idris said. “These improvements didn’t happen by accident. They are the result of bold reforms and President Tinubu’s focused interventions.”

He reassured Nigerians that the government remains committed to easing economic hardship through people-centered policies, while urging the media to report responsibly and resist amplifying disinformation.

“The Tinubu administration is turning a corner. It is important that Nigerians are guided by facts, not fear or falsehoods,” Idris added. “We are accountable to the people—and this is where the conversation must remain.”