Leadership News Editor Authors Book On Nigeria’s Newspaper Digital Shift

The Group News Editor of LEADERSHIP Newspaper, Dr Sunday Isuwa, has authored a new book, Digital Shift in Nigeria’s Newspaper Industry, which examines how technological advancement is reshaping newsroom operations, journalism practice, business models and audience engagement across the country’s newspaper industry.

The book is scheduled for launch on October 29, 2026, at 10 a.m. at the Conference Hall of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) headquarters, behind the EFCC headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.

Prof Rotimi Olatunji, President of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) and a lecturer at Lagos State University, wrote the foreword, while the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Prof Uduma Oji Uduma, will review the publication. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, who also chairs the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited (NCGC), will chair the event.

Assessing the publication, Prof Umaru Pate of Bayero University, Kano, described it as a timely examination of the changes taking place in Nigeria’s newspaper industry. He said the book explores newsroom adaptation, multimedia reporting, audience analytics, innovative revenue strategies, misinformation and changing audience behaviour.

Pate noted that the publication draws on contemporary evidence and practical examples to examine the opportunities and challenges created by digital transformation, describing it as essential reading for journalists, media scholars, policymakers and students seeking to understand the changing media landscape.

Similarly, Prof Farooq Kperogi of Kennesaw State University, United States, said the book provides a detailed account of how Nigerian newspapers are responding to the demands of the digital era.

According to Kperogi, Isuwa combines empirical research with professional experience to examine how legacy newsrooms are changing their editorial routines, business models and audience strategies as they transition from print to digital platforms.

He said the book also connects Nigeria’s media transformation with global developments while examining the country’s political environment, infrastructural challenges and media culture.

Kperogi said the publication fills an important gap in African media scholarship by exploring how technological change is reshaping the ethical, economic and professional foundations of journalism.

“It is essential reading for journalists, media managers, policymakers and students who want a concise but substantive guide to the forces that are transforming Nigerian news ecology,” he said.

The Managing Director/CEO of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali M. Ali, also described the book as a comprehensive account of the transformation of the Nigerian press.

Ali said the publication traces the evolution of Nigerian newspapers from their colonial origins to the changes brought about by the digital revolution, while examining how newsrooms have adapted to technological advancement, restructured business models and diversified revenue streams as audiences increasingly consume news through mobile devices.

He said the book further examines the ethical and professional challenges facing journalists, particularly the balance between immediacy and accuracy and the complexities surrounding freedom of expression under regulatory pressures.

According to Ali, the publication places Nigeria’s media transformation within a global context through comparative analysis and case studies highlighting the resilience and innovation of selected newspapers.

He added that the book looks ahead to the future of newspaper publishing in a digital Nigeria and offers recommendations for editors, journalists, policymakers and other stakeholders.

Ali urged media professionals, policymakers, academics and other stakeholders to attend the launch, describing it as an opportunity not only to celebrate the publication but also to foster wider discussions on the future and sustainability of journalism in Nigeria.

The event is expected to attract leading figures from the media and academic communities, with Prof Uduma Oji Uduma of NOUN scheduled to review the book.