Kayode Okikiolu named Nigeria’s newscaster of the year

Kayode Okikiolu, a senior anchor and producer with Channels Television, has been named Nigeria’s Newscaster of the Year by the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), one of the country’s most prestigious honours for journalistic excellence.

Okikiolu received the award at the NMMA ceremony held on Saturday at the Lagos Continental Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos. He emerged ahead of nominees from Television Continental (TVC) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) to clinch the coveted title.

Speaking at the event, NMMA Trustee and Chairman of the Panel of Assessors, Dele Adetiba, said the 2025 edition of the awards attracted an unprecedented number of entries. “This year alone, we had 800 entries across different categories,” he said. “What separates this award from others is the quality, integrity and reputation of those who assessed the entries. We are fortunate to have some of the most distinguished media professionals in the country.”

In his acceptance remarks, Okikiolu dedicated the award to God, his family and colleagues across Nigeria’s media industry, describing the recognition as a collective achievement of the profession.

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“I am grateful to the media fathers in Nigeria who laid a solid foundation and continue to guide the younger generation,” he said. “We are on the cusp of major media disruptions globally, and I am confident that the Nigerian media will champion innovations that will transform our industry for good.”

The award also carries symbolic significance for Channels Television, as the station’s founder and chairman, John Momoh, won the same honour several decades ago.

Okikiolu has received multiple accolades over the course of his career. Most recently, he won the Hostwriter Creator Award, a global recognition for innovative media content.

Renowned for his distinctive voice and creative storytelling, Okikiolu has interviewed presidents and global leaders and reported live from major international events, including the Russia–Ukraine war. He is also widely recognised for producing viral explainer videos that simplify complex news stories for broad audiences, earning him the sobriquet “the Gentleman of the Press”.

Beyond broadcasting, he was recently appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for the World Literacy Foundation.

Before transitioning to television, Okikiolu began his media career in radio, working with The Beat 97.9 FM and Salt 98.1 FM. He holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Ibadan, is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), and is currently an Executive MBA student at Lagos Business School.

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