Tinubu appoints Rotimi Pedro as DG, NTA
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Rotimi Pedro as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Presidency said Pedro’s appointment, along with three others, takes immediate effect. “The appointments reaffirm Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening national broadcasting as a platform for unity, cohesion, and soft diplomacy,” the […]
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Rotimi Pedro as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Presidency said Pedro’s appointment, along with three others, takes immediate effect.
“The appointments reaffirm Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening national broadcasting as a platform for unity, cohesion, and soft diplomacy,” the statement read.
Pedro, a Lagos native, is a seasoned media executive with over two decades of experience in broadcasting and sports rights, including a stint at Bloomberg Television Africa.
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He is also the founder of Optima Sports Management International (OSMI), which distributed premium sports content across Africa.
Alongside Pedro, Tinubu appointed Karimah Bello from Katsina State as Executive Director of Marketing, Stella Din from Plateau State as Executive Director of News, and Sophia Mohammed from Adamawa State as Managing Director of NTA Enterprises Limited.
It would be recalled that Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos, who was reappointed as DG in October 2023, was as of last weekend on a federal delegation tour in Enugu and Ebonyi States, led by Minister of Information Mohammed Idris and presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.
Pedro’s profile
According to The Cable, a Lagos-based online news platform, Rotimi Pedro, the newly appointed Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), holds degrees from the University of Buckingham and boasts decades of industry experience.
Pedro is a seasoned media executive, consultant, and entrepreneur with over 30 years of leadership across broadcasting, sports rights, and marketing communications in Africa, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East. A trained entertainment and intellectual property lawyer, he also holds an MSc in Investment Management and Finance from City University Business School, London.
He began his professional journey as an immigration lawyer in the UK before founding Optima Sports Management International (OSMI) in 1995.
Under his leadership, OSMI became a dominant force in sports content distribution across Africa, securing premium broadcast rights to the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup, and CAF competitions in over 40 countries.
Pedro has chaired and directed several high-profile organisations, including FMEIL, Nigeria’s exclusive media rating agency, and Bloomberg Television Africa, where he launched a pan-African business news channel in partnership with Bloomberg Media LP. He also played a pivotal role in introducing entertainment formats such as Nigerian Idol, X-Factor West Africa, and Nigeria’s Got Talent, unlocking millions in sponsorship revenue and reshaping the continent’s media economy.
Since 2018, Pedro has served as Principal Consultant to the African Union of Broadcasters (AUB), advising on the acquisition and monetisation of CAF broadcast rights across 48 member stations. His consultancy portfolio includes engagements with FIFA, UEFA, Fremantle Media, AfroSport Group, and several national broadcasters.