Meet the Power Players: A Guide to Nigeria’s Prominent Media Owners
Nigeria’s media landscape is dynamic and competitive, with a blend of government and privately owned entities spanning print, broadcast, and digital formats. Media ownership is frequently held by powerful individuals, including politicians, business leaders, and experienced journalists. Below is an overview of prominent media owners in Nigeria:
**Samson Amuka-Pemu (Vanguard Newspaper)**
Amuka-Pemu is a distinguished journalist with over 60 years of experience. He began his career at the Daily Times, became editor of the Sunday Times (1967–1971), and was the inaugural editor of the Sunday Punch. He is known for his columns and significant editorial work.
**Dapo Olorunyomi (Premium Times)**
Olorunyomi is a veteran journalist who faced persecution during Nigeria’s military rule and was forced into exile in the U.S. He established Premium Times in 2011, becoming a leader in credible online journalism in Nigeria. While he is not widely recognized as a columnist, his contributions to investigative journalism and editorial oversight are notable.
**Kabiru Yusuf (Media Trust – Daily Trust, Weekly Trust, Aminiya)**
Yusuf is an experienced journalist who has held editorial positions at Daily Triumph, Today, and Citizen Magazine. He also served as a Southern African correspondent for the BBC and wrote for Newswatch and Daily Times. Although not directly identified as a columnist, his editorial positions indicate substantial involvement in content creation.
**Nduka Obaigbena (THISDAY and Arise TV)**
Primarily a businessman and media entrepreneur rather than a trained journalist, Obaigbena founded THISDAY in 1995 and later launched Arise TV. His contributions are more strategic and managerial in nature, with no record of him writing columns.
**Orji Uzor Kalu (The Sun Newspaper)**
Kalu, a politician and businessman without formal journalism training, founded The Sun in 2001 through his company, Slok Holding. There is no evidence of him writing columns.
**Raymond Dokpesi (DAAR Communications – AIT, RayPower)**
Dokpesi was a businessman and politician, not a journalist. He established DAAR Communications in 1988, creating AIT and RayPower, but he is not recognized as a columnist.
**Bola Tinubu (The Nation and TVC)**
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a politician and former Governor of Lagos State (1999–2007), currently leads Nigeria (since 2023). He owns The Nation and TVC through intermediaries, but is not a columnist.
**Ibrahim Jimoh (Alaroye)**
Jimoh founded Alaroye, a prominent Yoruba-language newspaper, in 1996. Given his active role in Yoruba journalism, it is likely that he has contributed columns, although specific examples are not widely known.
**Larry Ettah (The Guardian)**
Ettah is a businessman who holds substantial stakes in The Guardian, originally founded by Alex Ibru in 1983. While Ibru collaborated with journalist Stanley Macebuh, Ettah does not write columns. Under new ownership, The Guardian’s focus has shifted from Ibru’s commitment to high-quality journalism to a more commercial approach.
**Dele Momodu (Ovation Magazine and The Boss Newspaper)**
A seasoned journalist and publisher, Momodu began with Classique magazine and later founded Ovation in 1996 and The Boss Newspaper. He has written columns, particularly in THISDAY and his publications.
**Bamidele Lateef Atoyebi (Mining and Unfiltered Reporting)**
Bamidele is an entrepreneur, politician, miner, and social worker, as well as the owner of Mining and Unfiltered Reporting. He is a columnist and freelance writer known for his commentary on Tinubu’s ideology, values, and political trajectory.
**Simon Kolawole (TheCable Newspaper)**
Kolawole is a veteran journalist and the founder and CEO of TheCable, an independent online newspaper in Nigeria. Before establishing TheCable, he served as the editor of THISDAY Newspaper and currently writes a weekly column for THISDAY Sunday.
