Nigeria: A Dynamic Media Space in Africa

Going by population and the size of its economy, Nigeria remains the largest country in Africa and the most populous Black nation in the world. This chapter provides a critical overview of the Nigerian media landscape. The Nigerian media system has its roots in the precolonial era when the native population relied on traditional communication methods to spread information. Modern mass media started in Nigeria with the activities of the Presbyterian missionaries who established a printing press in 1846 in Calabar, the southern part of Nigeria. The media landscape in Nigeria is an expansive terrain that includes broadcast, print, new and digital news platforms, public relations, advertising, and the entertainment industry, comprising Nollywood and the music industry. In Nigeria, social media and online news outlets have revolutionized how people consume information. The Nigerian film industry, known as Nollywood, has played a crucial role in shaping the country's cultural landscape and promoting social change.