Tsinghua University students visit Media Trust Group
Students from Tsinghua University’s School of Journalism and Communications, China yesterday visited Media Trust Group; the parent company of the Daily Trust newspaper and its subsidiaries of Trust TV and Trust Radio on an academic visit. The delegation, comprising four professors and 17 students, toured the Media Trust headquarters in Abuja, where they interacted with […]
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Students from Tsinghua University’s School of Journalism and Communications, China yesterday visited Media Trust Group; the parent company of the Daily Trust newspaper and its subsidiaries of Trust TV and Trust Radio on an academic visit.
The delegation, comprising four professors and 17 students, toured the Media Trust headquarters in Abuja, where they interacted with staff and observed the newspaper and television production process.
While interacting with the management of Media Trust Group, led by the Group CEO, Malam Ahmed Shekarau, leader of the delegation and the Dean, Zhou Qing’an said the aim of the visit was to study the rapid development and growing significance of digital media in Nigeria, with particular focus on how it aligns with China’s increasing interest in the Global South, especially Nigeria.
“We are keen to understand how Nigerian media has become such a pivotal voice for the African region, especially as China takes a growing interest in the country’s affairs,” said Dean Zhou who added that the delegation, made up of postgraduate students,
Associate Dean, and faculty members were pleased to see how Media Trust Group is embracing the digital transformation, recognising that the future of media lies in that space.
Daily Trust reports that the engagement gave room for a robust interaction with questions and answers between the communication students and the Media Trust delegation on issues around censorship, business model and the overall future of the newspaper industry.
While providing answers to some critical questions , the Media Trust Group CEO, who was accompanied by the Executive Director of Finance, Investment, and Infrastructure, Nura Daura; Trust TV COO, Ibrahim Shehu Adamu; Trust Radio COO, Muhammad Kabir and other senior staff gave a background of the company’s vision, policies, audience strategy, content approach, and monetisation plans.
“Our mission is to reach every corner of the country, ensuring that our audiences are kept informed on important social and political matters. Our website is structured into various categories—politics, sports, agriculture, women, and more—to ensure we cover a wide range of topics. With correspondents in over 27 states across Nigeria, many rotating between different cities, we ensure a comprehensive coverage of the country,” he explained.
Shekarau also addressed the challenges facing traditional print media, noting a decline in the newspaper sector due to increased competition from the digital space and inefficient resource management.
However, the Executive Director of Finance emphasised the potential of digital platforms. “While print circulation has dropped, our online readership has surged, with over 20 million people now accessing our content online,” he shared.
Trust TV’s COO spoke about the company’s success, citing both circulation and online readership as indicators of Media Trust Group’s prominence in the Nigerian media landscape.
“We consider ourselves one of the top media companies in Nigeria, judging by our strong circulation numbers and online engagement. Our influence is reflected in the feedback we receive from the government; if they respond to us, it means we matter,” he said.
Dean Zhou Qing’an concluded the visit by expressing gratitude for the warm reception and emphasised the potential for future collaboration. “We are impressed by Media Trust Group’s innovative approach to reaching diverse demographics. We hope that in the future, journalists from Nigeria and China can work together to tell our stories in our own voices, fostering international media cooperation and cultural exchange,” he added.