Stakeholders in Nigeria’s media and entertainment industry have praised President Bola Tinubu for appointing Rotimi Pedro as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), describing the choice as both strategic and timely.
Mr Pedro, a seasoned media entrepreneur with almost 30 years of experience in broadcasting, sports rights management and international media partnerships, was named NTA director-general last week. His appointment has been welcomed with optimism by industry players who believe he has the expertise to reposition the national broadcaster.
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In a tweet on X, Adeyemi Shegun said the appointment is long overdue and in Rotimi Pedro, NTA has an experienced hand. Another tweep, @AdedoyinOyewo1 described the appointment as brilliant. According to him, “if anyone can transform the NTA brand into a modern, competitive TV network, its Rotimi Pedro. His track record from building Optima Media Group to successfully delivering Nigerian Idol and other flagship productions speaks for itself”.
A media practitioner, Ngozi Nwako said “This is one of the most important appointments the president has made in the media sector. Pedro has the experience and international exposure to revive NTA. He understands both the business and creative sides of broadcasting,” she said.
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Mr Pedro is widely recognised for transforming Africa’s sports broadcasting market through his company, Optima Sports Management International (OSMI), which secured and distributed premium rights for the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League and English Premier League across more than 40 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
He also served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bloomberg Television Africa, where he helped establish a pan-African business news channel in partnership with Bloomberg Media LP. In addition, through Rapid Blue Format, he introduced global entertainment franchises such as Nigerian Idol, X-Factor West Africa and Nigeria’s Got Talent, which reshaped pop culture and attracted strong sponsorship.
Analysts say these experiences are exactly what NTA needs, given the broadcaster’s struggles in recent years with relevance, funding and credibility.
“Pedro understands content, he understands revenue, and he understands partnerships. These are the three things NTA has been missing,” one industry analyst said. Below are some screenshots from X and other social media platforms.
However, some stakeholders cautioned that his success will depend on political support and adequate funding. “The bureaucracy at NTA has stifled innovation for years. For Pedro to succeed, there must be backing from the presidency to drive reforms,” said Mr Adewale Ogunleye, a media consultant.
Despite these concerns, many industry watchers believe the president’s choice is a bold step toward modernising Nigeria’s public broadcaster and restoring its lost glory.
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