Leadership Names Obaigbena, Rabiu Persons of Year 2026

• Cites businessmen’s contributions to innovation, job creation, others

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Leadership Newspapers has named the Chairman of THISDAY Group and founder of Arise News, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, and the Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, as its Persons of the Year 2026.

The newspaper announced the recognition, while citing the businessmen’s contributions to institution-building, talent development, innovation, investment, job creation and philanthropy.

According to Leadership, the duo are being honoured for “building influential institutions, nurturing talent, challenging convention, and breaking new ground” in their respective fields.

Also yesterday, Leadership Newspapers presented the formal notification of Obaigbena as Person of the Year 2026 at the Ikoyi Offices of Arise News Channel in Lagos.

Present at the event were: Ombudsman, Kayode Komolafe; Leadership Newspapers Vice Chairman & Editor in Chief, Azu Ishiekwene; Leadership Newspapers Chairman, Mrs Zainab Sam Nda Isaiah; THISDAY Managing Director, Eniola Bello and Arise News Director of Politics, Akin Osuntokun.

Obaigbena was recognised for his contributions to Nigeria’s media industry, particularly his role in expanding the country’s media landscape and launching the Leekelee social media platform in February 2026.

Rabiu, on his part, was recognised for BUA Group’s investments in manufacturing and local production, as well as its contributions to job creation, infrastructure development and shareholder value.

The newspaper also highlighted the philanthropic activities of both businessmen, noting their contributions to strengthening confidence in Nigeria’s future.

It described the recognition as an acknowledgement of their influence and impact on the country’s economic and social development.

Earlier, the newspaper said Obaigbena had built influential media organisations, nurtured generations of journalists and expanded the reach of Nigerian and African media through investments spanning newspapers, magazines, television, fashion and digital platforms.

It cited his founding of ThisWeek magazine in 1986 and THISDAY newspaper in 1995 as defining milestones in his career, noting that both publications introduced new approaches to journalism and newspaper production in Nigeria.

Obaigbena founded ThisWeek at the age of 27, establishing a publication that covered politics, economics, international affairs, art and culture. The magazine also became a platform for talented journalists, many of whom went on to occupy prominent positions in the media industry and public life.

His entry into newspaper publishing with THISDAY further expanded his influence, with the publication introducing innovations in presentation, editorial content and the commercial positioning of Nigerian newspapers.

Leadership noted that THISDAY began operations without Obaigbena owning a printing press, while highlighting its adoption of colour production, the elevation of the back page as a platform for prominent columnists and the publication of the full table of daily transactions at the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Beyond newspaper publishing, Obaigbena, it said, extended his entrepreneurial interests into broadcasting, fashion and entertainment, establishing platforms designed to promote African talent and connect the continent’s creative industry with international audiences.

These included ARISE Magazine, the THISDAY Music and Fashion Festivals, and ARISE Fashion Week, which provided platforms for Nigerian and other African creatives to showcase their work to wider audiences.

In 2013, he launched ARISE News, an international television news platform with an African focus and global outlook, aimed at strengthening African perspectives in international news coverage.

Leadership described the launch of LekeeLekee, a social media platform developed by ARISE Broadcast and THISDAY Media Group in February 2026, as another significant step in Obaigbena’s efforts to expand Africa’s presence in the digital media landscape.

The newspaper said the platform had recorded more than 100,000 downloads within about six months, describing its launch as evidence of his continued interest in exploring new frontiers in media and technology.

It added that Obaigbena’s career had been marked by a willingness to take risks, assemble exceptional talent and build institutions despite economic constraints, technological disruption and the challenges confronting traditional journalism.

It noted that his media organisations had navigated changing governments, economic recessions and the pressures of digital transformation, while continuing to seek new ways of remaining commercially viable and relevant to society.

Born on July 14, 1959, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Obaigbena attended Edo College, Benin City, before obtaining an honours degree in Creative Arts from the University of Benin. He began his media career in 1978 at the Nigerian Observer, where he developed his skills in writing, satire and cartooning.

He subsequently became coordinating editor of The Dawn magazine and worked as a Special Section Representative for Newsweek. His professional experience also included work with Time magazine on special surveys and country sections covering Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco and Zimbabwe.

Obaigbena also participated in public affairs, serving on a sub-committee of the Technical Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation in 1990. He contested for a seat in the Senate in 1991 and became a member of the 1994 Constitutional Conference.

His contributions to the media profession have earned him several honours and leadership responsibilities. He received the Fellowship of the Nigerian Guild of Editors in 1998 and served two terms as president of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN). He also chaired the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO).

In 2022, the federal government conferred on him the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). The following year, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) in recognition of his contributions to journalism and society.

Leadership said Obaigbena’s enduring significance lay in the institutions he had established, the conventions he had challenged and the opportunities he had created for successive generations of media professionals.

It described him as an institution-builder whose career demonstrated that African media organisations could pursue global ambitions while retaining their roots and perspectives.

The newspaper said his recognition reflected a career built on the conviction that ambitious ideas, supported by talent, execution and perseverance, could overcome the constraints often associated with operating in Nigeria’s media environment.