News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) is the country’s official newswire service, providing curated news reports to subscribers and the general public through its digital platforms. Established by the Federal Government of Nigeria, NAN began operations in 1978, with a mandate to gather and disseminate news from across the federation to both domestic and international audiences.
While its early mission was to counter Western media narratives and offer a local perspective, NAN has since evolved into a central distribution hub for news consumed by newspapers, broadcasters, corporate clients, and public institutions across Nigeria.
Media assets
News agency: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
NAN was legally constituted under Decree No. 19 of 1975, subsequently known as the News Agency of Nigeria Act. It functions as a state-owned corporation, under the purview of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.
The agency’s highest governing body is its Board of Directors, composed of eight members. According to the statute:
- Half of the board is appointed by the federal government.
- The Chairperson of the Board and the Managing Director (MD) are both appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Minister of Information and Culture.
As of mid-2025, there have been no publicly announced changes in leadership or board composition since the last major restructuring of state media agencies in 2023. NAN continues to operate under the federal government’s close administrative oversight.
Ali Muhammed Ali is the current Managing Director/CEO of the News Agency of Nigeria. He was appointed in October 2023 by President Bola Tinubu and has served in this capacity throughout 2024 and into 2025.
Source of funding and budget
NAN’s operations are predominantly financed by federal budget allocations, with a limited portion of its revenue coming from commercial activities such as subscription fees paid by institutional clients—primarily media organizations and government bodies.
| Year | State subsidy | Self generated revenue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | NGN 1.8 billion (USD 4.7 million) | N/A | Via Ministry of Information and Culture |
| 2022 | NGN 2.2 billion (USD 5 million) (projected) | NGN 149 million (USD 360,000) | Internal revenue projections |
| 2023 | NGN 2.77 billion (USD 3.6 million) | N/A | Based on official budget figures |
No detailed data on 2024 budget figures had been officially released by June 2025, although it is assumed that state subsidies remained stable or slightly increased, consistent with the pattern of allocations to peer institutions such as NTA and VON.
Editorial independence
While NAN is widely regarded as a professional and operationally capable newswire—with one of the most extensive national footprints of any media organization in Nigeria—its editorial independence remains compromised by structural and legal constraints.
The agency operates as a de facto government mouthpiece, with its content rarely if ever deviating from official narratives. It routinely prioritizes government-related coverage, omits critical or investigative angles on public authorities and complies with requests or directives from state officials.
There is no statutory provision or independent oversight mechanism in place to ensure NAN’s editorial autonomy. No independent ombudsman, regulatory board, or public complaints mechanism exists to vet content or editorial practices. Consequently, NAN functions as an institutional amplifier of government communication, rather than a watchdog or neutral information intermediary.
June 2025