Newspapers published in Nigeria has a strong tradition of the principle of "publish and be damned" that dates back to the colonial era when founding fathers of the Nigerian press such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ernest Ikoli, Obafemi Awolowo and Lateef Jakande used their papers to fight for independence. This tradition firmly established newspapers as a means to advocate for political reform and accountability, roles they continue to fulfill in Nigeria today.
Until the 1990s, most publications were government-owned, but private papers such as the Daily Trust, Next, Nigerian Tribune, The Punch, Vanguard and the Guardian continued to expose public and private scandals despite government attempts at suppression. These privately owned outlets were instrumental in holding leaders to account, often operating under significant pressure, including censorship and harassment during periods of military rule.
Laws related to the media, including newspapers, are scattered across various pieces of legislation. There are few good sources of discussion and analysis of these laws. The introduction of the Freedom of Information Act in 2011 marked a significant step toward transparency, granting citizens and journalists access to public records. However, enforcement has been uneven, and many media organizations still struggle to obtain crucial information from authorities.
Some Newspapers depend heavily on advertisements that may be placed by companies owned by powerful people. In some cases, this makes the papers cautious in reporting details of crimes or suspected crimes, and sometimes they carry articles that paint clearly corrupt individuals in a favourable light. The widespread practice of giving journalists "brown envelopes"—cash payments for favorable coverage—has compounded ethical challenges in Nigerian journalism. Many reporters and editors operate in environments where such practices are normalized, often blurring the lines between journalism and public relations. Although earnings have declined since the late 1980s the number of publications has steadily grown. This expansion reflects Nigerians’ continued demand for diverse sources of information, despite economic challenges affecting the industry.
An analysis of newspapers shows a strong bias towards coverage of males, reflecting prevalent cultural biases. Few articles discuss women and there are few photographs of women outside the fashion sections.
As of 2008 there were over 100 national, regional or local newspapers.
Online newspapers have become popular since the rise of internet accessibility in Nigeria; more than ten percent of the top fifty websites in the country are devoted to online newspapers. Due to improved mobile penetration and the growth of smartphones, Nigerians have begun to rely on the internet for news. Online newspapers have also been able to bypass government restrictions because content can be shared without the need for any physical infrastructure. The result has been a disruption of the traditional sources of news which have dominated the media industry. Recent online newspapers include Sahara Reporters, Naija News, Ripples Nigeria, and Premium Times. These platforms have gained prominence for their investigative journalism and ability to publish stories quickly, particularly on sensitive issues that traditional media may avoid.
List of newspapers
This is a list of newspapers in Nigeria. The list includes print and online newspapers currently published in Nigeria that have national circulation or that are major local newspapers.
Newspaper Location First issues PublisherNews Agency of NigeriaAbuja1978 Ali Mohammed Ali (2023–present) News9ja Lagos 2012 News9ja Global Limited Naija News Lagos 2016 Polance Media Limited NewsOnline Lagos 2020 Winner's Media Concept TheNiche Lagos 2014 Acclaim Communications Limited Newswatch Lagos 1985 Global Media Mirror Limited P.M. News Lagos 1994 Independent Communications Network Limited AkwaIbom Times Uyo 2025 AkwaIbom Times Media and Communication Ltd ThisDay Lagos 1995 Leaders and Company The Herald Kwara 1973 Leaders and Company Complete Sports Lagos 1995 Sunny Obazu-Ojeagbase Daily Trust Abuja 1998 Media Trust Ltd The Sun Lagos 2001 The Sun Publishing Ltd Independent Nigeria Lagos 2001 Independent Newspaper Limited National Network Port Harcourt 2004 Network Printing and Publishing Company Next Lagos 2004 Timbuktu Media group Leadership Abuja 2004 Leadership Group Ltd Business Day Lagos 2005 Frank Aigbogun Sahara Reporters New York City 2006 Omoyele Sowore National Mirror 2006 Global Media Mirror Limited The Whistler Abuja 2014 The Whistler Communications Limited The Nation Lagos 2006 Vintage Press Limited Uhuru Times Ogun 2007 Journal Communication Limited Peoples Daily Abuja 2008 Peoples Media Ltd Newsdiary online Abuja 2009 NewsDiary Communication Limited Netng Lagos 2009 Adekunle Ayeni TheCable Lagos 2011 Cable Newspaper Ltd. Premium Times Abuja 2011 Premium Times Services Limited Blueprint Abuja 2011 Mohammed Idris Daylight Lagos 2014 Azuh Amatus New Telegraph Lagos 2014 The Telegraph Publishing Company The Authority Abuja 2015 The Authority Media & Publications LimitedPrime 9ja Online Edo 2016 Prime 9ja Online Media Ripples Nigeria Lagos 2015 Richmond Hill Media Limited Stears Business Lagos 2015 Stears News Limited Politics Nigeria Lagos 2016 Dumebi Emmanuel Daily Nigerian Abuja 2016 Penlight Media Limited Daily Champion Lagos 2011 Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu Daily Post Lagos 2011 Daily Post Media Limited Nigeria CommunicationsWeek Lagos 2007 Ken Nwogbo Nigerian Compass Ogun State 2008 Gbenga Daniel Urhobo Vanguard Delta State 2012 Urhobo Vanguard Publishing Ltd Thinkers Newspaper Abuja 2015 Thinkers Communications Limited Stears Business Lagos 2015 Stears News Limited Vanguard Lagos 1983 Vanguard Media Limited The Punch Lagos 1971 Wale Aboderin The Guardian Lagos 1983 Guardian Newspapers Limited Nigerian Tribune Ibadan 1949 African Newspapers of Nigeria Ltd Peoples Gazette Abuja 2020 Peoples Gazette Limited The Will Lagos 2009 Austyn Ogannah Triumph Kano 1980 Triumph Publishing Company Limited Nigerian Observer Benin City 1968 Bendel Newspapers Company Limited The Tide Port Harcourt 1971 Rivers State Newspaper Corporation Nigeria Standard Jos 1972 Benue-Plateau Printing Publication CooperationLegit.ngLagos2012Naij.com Media Limited Obaland Edo 2009 Obaland Magazine and Multichoice Media House Osun Defender Osogbo 2006 Moremi Publishing House Limited Lagos Daily News Lagos 1925 Herbert Macaulay Federal Character Maryland 2019 Etcetera EjikemeDaily Intel NewspaperFct Abuja2022Tony Christian Daily Times Lagos 1925 Folio Communications Alaroye Lagos 1985 World Information Agents Nigerian Daily Sketch Ibadan 1964 Spark Communications Limited Tmy News (online newspaper) Lagos 2013 Tmy EmpireThe Informant247Ilorin2017The Informant247 LimitedNairametricsLagos2015Obi-Chukwu UgodreJustice Watch MagazineAbuja2002 Geoffrey Uwadiegwu Oputa
See also Brown envelope journalism Elite advertisement in Nigeria List of radio stations in Nigeria List of television stations in Nigeria Media of Nigeria Telecommunications in Nigeria Actual list of newspapers in Nigeria
References
Sources
(Includes articles about Nigerian newspapers)
External links
Plus234Feed — Nigerian news aggregator covering politics, business, sports, and entertainment, with data tools for NGX markets and CBN exchange rates.