Newspaper Coverage of Inflation and Monetary Policies in Nigeria: A Study of the Guardian and Sun Newspapers from January to June 2026

Nigeria's worsening inflation crisis and the Central Bank's evolving monetary policy responses have demanded sustained journalistic attention, yet the quality and framing of such coverage in the print press remains underexamined. This study analysed newspaper coverage of inflation and monetary policies in Nigeria, focusing on the Guardian and Sun newspapers from January to June 2026. The study was anchored on the Framing Theory of Robert Entman, which explains how media selection and emphasis in presenting economic issues shapes audience understanding and public policy perception. A content analysis design was adopted, with a purposive sample of 100 inflation and monetary policy-related news stories, editorials, and opinion articles drawn equally from both newspapers. A structured coding sheet served as the research instrument. Findings revealed that both newspapers devoted considerable space to inflation-related coverage during the study period, though framing diverged considerably: the Guardian favoured analytical and policy-critical frames, while the Sun leaned toward human interest and cost-of-living narratives. Expert sourcing was limited in both outlets, and solutions-oriented reporting was sparse. The study concluded that Nigerian newspaper coverage of inflation and monetary policy, while frequent, lacks the analytical depth and diversity of perspectives required to adequately inform public and policy discourse. It was recommended that business and economics editors prioritise in-depth policy journalism, invest in financial reporting capacity, and incorporate diverse expert voices including economists, civil society analysts, and citizen perspectives in their coverage.

Keywords: Newspaper coverage, inflation, monetary policy, the Guardian, the Sun