News Express and Africa Today Raise the Stakes on Media and the Public Sphere in Nigeria
Mr Isaac Umunna, MD of News Express
Two Nigerian media houses are raising the stakes in media and the public sphere in a space of weeks. The two are Lagos based News Express, the racy, multi-focus online platform and the London based continent focused Africa Today. All two have chosen involving topics. For News Express, the issues to be explored are “National Unity and the Demand for Restructuring — A Governor’s Perspective” and “Using the Platform of Public Office to Reclaim the Promise of Our Destiny”. To lead the discussions in each case are Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Nigeria’s Niger State and Hon. Emmanuel Jime, the Managing Director of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, (NEPZA).
The occasion starting later today by midday at the Lagos Sheraton and Towers also provides News Express a striking opportunity to unveil its new logo. The media organisation is expecting attendance cutting across several sectors: political office holders, international bureaucracy, business, culture and energy, among others. News Express prides itself as a best practice, business minded online platform read by “hundreds of thousands of people around the world and records annual traffic of upwards of 100 million”.
Africa Today Publisher, Kayode Soyinka letting Madiba inspect it early enough
Africa Today will follow on October 17th, 2017 when it brings a former UN technocrat among many other top flight speakers and players to explore “Energy Options in a Low-Cost and Low Carbon World: Which Way Nigeria and Africa?” at the Transcorps Hilton Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria. Beginning with an Opening Keynote Address on “The Outlook for Nigeria” to be delivered by Works, Housing and Power Minister, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, (SAN), the day will move on to “Sustainable Energy for All: The Case for Africa”. This is where Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, a Sustainable Development expert and former UNIDO D-G, takes charge as Special Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker.
The occasion which will be chaired by Mr. John Odey, former Federal Minister for Information and Communications will equally be featuring Mr. Victor Eromosele, former General Manager (Finance) of Nigeria NLNG who would be providing an overview with particular reference to the Hydrocarbon versus Renewable Debate. Mr. Tony Elumelu, Prince Bello Maccido, Mr. Adekunle Oyinloye, Mr. Kayode Pitan, Mr. Nir Marom, Mr. Nick Earlam, Dr. Frank Jacobs, Mallam Danladi Bako and the Taraba State Government are the other notable names handling one aspect or the other of the main subject matter. Mr. Kayode Soyinka, Founder/ Publisher of Africa Today is scheduled to welcome the attendees and introduce the Summit.
While News Express’s fifth anniversary outreach signifies the rising self-confidence of the media industry’s second image, (the first image being the traditional newspapers, magazines, radio and television) in Nigeria, Africa Today speaks to the Nigerian factor in media globalisation. This is not anything new for much of the world today except Africa from where few media houses can register their presence in terms of audience beyond nationals in the diaspora as to be called truly global media. Progress is, however, being made in all directions.
