Sunday Isuwa, the Group News Editor of LEADERSHIP Newspaper, is getting ready to launch a book about how Nigeria’s newspaper industry is changing in the digital age.
The book, titled Digital Shift in Nigeria’s Newspaper Industry, will be launched on 29 October at the Conference Hall of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.
The event will kick off at 10 a.m.
Mr Isuwa said the book looks at how technology is changing journalism in Nigeria. This includes how newsrooms operate, how reporters work, the business models, and how news organizations connect with their audiences.
This book comes at a time when traditional Nigerian newspapers are moving beyond just print. They are now using websites, social media, video, and other digital platforms as people change how they consume news.
While this shift helps news organizations reach more people than just their usual print readers, it raises questions about making money, false information, how audiences behave, and the need for speed versus accuracy.
These issues are what Mr Isuwa discusses in the book.
The President of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN), Rotimi Olatunji, a professor at Lagos State University (LASU), wrote the foreword for the book.
The Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Uduma Oji Uduma, will review the book during the launch.
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, who chairs the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited (NCGC), will lead the event.
Umaru Pate, a professor at the Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano, said the book is a timely look at the changes in Nigeria’s newspaper industry.
Mr Pate said the book talks about how newsrooms are adapting, multimedia reporting, audience analytics, new ways to make money, misinformation, and changing audience habits.
“This book looks at how newsrooms adapt, multimedia reporting, audience analytics, new revenue strategies, and the challenges caused by misinformation and shifting audience habits,” he said.
He added that the book uses recent evidence and real-life examples to look at both the chances and challenges that come with digital changes in the industry.
Farooq Kperogi, a professor at Kennesaw State University in the United States, said the book shows how traditional Nigerian newspapers are meeting the demands of digital publishing.
According to Mr Kperogi, Mr Isuwa combines research with his professional experience to analyze changes in editorial routines, business models, and audience strategies as old newsrooms move from print to digital.
He said the book also connects Nigeria’s media changes to larger global trends while considering the country's political issues, infrastructure problems, and media culture.
Mr Kperogi said the book adds to African media studies by looking at how technology changes affect the ethics, economy, and profession of journalism.
“It is a must-read for journalists, media managers, policymakers, and students who want a clear yet meaningful guide to the forces shaping Nigerian news,” he said.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali M. Ali, also called the book an account of how the Nigerian press is changing.
Mr Ali said the book tracks the history of Nigerian newspapers from colonial times to the changes brought by digital technology.
He mentioned that it looks at how newsrooms have adjusted to new tech, changed their business models, and found new ways to earn money as more audiences turn to mobile and digital platforms.
The book also discusses some ethical and professional issues that today’s journalists face, especially the struggle between publishing fast and being accurate.
“It looks at the ethical and professional dilemmas journalists deal with today, emphasizing the balance between speed and accuracy, along with the challenges of freedom of expression under rules,” Mr Ali said.
He added that the book uses comparisons and case studies to place Nigerian newspapers within the larger context of global media developments.
The book also thinks about the future of newspaper publishing in an increasingly digital Nigeria and gives recommendations for journalists, editors, media managers, policymakers, and other involved parties.
Mr Ali urged media professionals, academics, policymakers, and others to come to the launch, saying it will be a chance to discuss the future of journalism in Nigeria.
The event is expected to gather people from Nigeria’s media and academic circles.
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