Daily Times Centenary to Spotlight Nigeria’s Development Challenges

Daily Times Nigeria will convene policymakers, business leaders and other stakeholders in Lagos on November 3 to discuss Nigeria’s development priorities as the newspaper marks its centenary with a policy town hall, an archival exhibition and the DTN@100 Times Heroes Awards.

The event, scheduled for Harbour Point, Lagos, will focus on issues including informal employment, energy access, infrastructure, productive livelihoods and the conditions needed to attract investment and sustain economic growth.

Held under the theme “Honouring the Past, Shaping the Future,” the gathering will also recognise individuals and institutions whose contributions have influenced Nigeria’s political, economic, social and cultural development.

Chairman of the DTN@100 Times Heroes Awards Council, Bolaji Okusaga, said the centenary offered an opportunity to draw lessons from Nigeria’s history while encouraging a new generation to contribute to the country’s future.

“As Daily Times celebrates 100 years of documenting Nigeria’s journey, the DTN@100 Times Heroes Awards is an opportunity to honour the people and institutions whose vision, courage and contributions have helped shape our nation,” Okusaga said.

He added that the initiative was intended to preserve the lessons of the past, recognise present achievements and inspire efforts towards a more prosperous and inclusive Nigeria.

The Times Heroes Awards will honour individuals and institutions for their contributions to national development, including leadership, enterprise, public service, innovation and job creation.

Another feature of the centenary initiative is ‘The Nigerian Grand Book, National Book of Changemakers,’ a publication developed over 15 years and informed by the newspaper’s century-long archive. With a foreword by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the book will document the achievements of distinguished Nigerians, with each award recipient allocated a page to preserve their story for future generations.

The programme will also include the Honouring the Past Exhibition, which will draw on the Daily Times archive to revisit people, events and milestones that have shaped the country over the past century.

The initiative builds on an earlier gathering held on September 3, 2026, at THISDAY Dome, Abuja. The event attracted prominent national figures, including Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who represented President Tinubu; Dr Akinwumi Adesina, who delivered the keynote address and received an award; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; and Governors Abdullahi Sule, Umar Bago and Dauda Lawal. Traditional rulers in attendance included the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe.

Beyond recognising distinguished Nigerians, the organisers say the centenary initiative seeks to preserve national memory and deepen public understanding of the people and institutions behind the country’s development. The exhibition will also provide opportunities for schoolchildren to engage with Nigeria’s history, with a sponsorship model designed to support school attendance.

Founded a century ago, Daily Times has documented Nigeria’s political, economic, social and cultural evolution. As it enters its second century, the newspaper is using the milestone to revisit that history while creating a platform for conversations about the leadership, policies and partnerships needed to shape the country’s future.