Bayo Onanuga is a Nigerian journalist, media entrepreneur, and presidential aide. He is known for co-founding TheNEWS Magazine and PM News, and he currently serves as Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu.
What Is Bayo Onanuga’s Full Name and Date of Birth?
Bayo Onanuga was born on June 20, 1957, in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria. He is 69 years old as of 2026. He was born into the Anikilaya family of Ijebu Ode.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Bayo Onanuga |
| Date of birth | June 20, 1957 |
| Birthplace | Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria |
| State of origin | Ogun State |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Occupations | Journalist, media entrepreneur, political strategist |
| Current role | Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu |
Where Is Bayo Onanuga From?
Bayo Onanuga hails from Ijebu Ode in Ogun State, southwestern Nigeria. His state of origin is Ogun State, and his family background traces to the Anikilaya lineage within the Ijebu Ode community.
What Is Bayo Onanuga’s Educational Background?
Bayo Onanuga completed his primary and secondary education at Muslim College Ijebu Ode, finishing in 1974. He then attended Federal Government College, Odogbolu, from 1975 to 1977. In 1977, he gained admission to the University of Lagos, where he graduated in 1980 with a degree in Mass Communication, earning a second-class upper classification.
- Completed primary and secondary education at Muslim College Ijebu Ode in 1974
- Attended Federal Government College, Odogbolu, from 1975 to 1977
- Graduated from the University of Lagos in 1980 with a Mass Communication degree
How Did Bayo Onanuga Start His Journalism Career?
Bayo Onanuga began his career working with the Ogun State Television Authority for one and a half years before entering print journalism. He joined The Guardian newspaper in July 1983 as a sub-editor and left the publication 17 months later to start his own magazine, Weekly Titbits.
After Weekly Titbits ceased operations, Onanuga joined the National Concord in January 1985 as a senior features writer. His service was later transferred to African Concord magazine, where he became international editor in 1989, based in London, before his appointment as editor later that year.
How Did Bayo Onanuga Found TheNEWS and PM News?
Bayo Onanuga resigned from Concord in April 1992 after declining to apologize to military dictator General Ibrahim Babangida over a cover story titled “Has Babangida Given Up?” The story triggered the closure of the Concord Group by the ruling military junta.
Following his resignation, Onanuga teamed up with Seye Kehinde, Dapo Olorunyomi, Sani Kabir, Idowu Obasa, Babafemi Ojudu, and Kunle Ajibade to establish TheNEWS Magazine in February 1993. After TheNEWS was shut down by the military government, the group launched TEMPO magazine and later PM News in 1994.
- Co-founded TheNEWS Magazine in February 1993
- Co-founded TEMPO magazine following the shutdown of TheNEWS
- Co-founded PM News in 1994
- Served as CEO and Editor-in-Chief of both TheNEWS and PM News
What Happened to Bayo Onanuga During the Abacha Era?
During the military era of General Sani Abacha, Bayo Onanuga was held captive by the State Security Service in Lagos. He later escaped and left the country, returning to Nigeria in 1998 following Abacha’s death.
His publications became known for bold exposés against military dictatorship during Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggles, a period marked by significant risk for independent journalists operating outside state-controlled media.
How Did Bayo Onanuga Become Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria?
Bayo Onanuga was appointed Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in 2016 under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. The appointment was announced by Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed, alongside five other chief executive appointments across federal information parastatals.
His appointment took immediate effect and placed him at the head of Nigeria’s national news wire service, following his decades of experience running independent media platforms.
What Is Bayo Onanuga’s Role as Special Adviser to President Tinubu?
Bayo Onanuga was appointed Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu in 2023. Before this appointment, he served as Director of Media and Publicity for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council.
In his current role, Onanuga functions as a presidential spokesperson, issuing official statements on government appointments, policy matters, and administrative decisions. He announced the renewal of tenure for the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority and the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, confirming both executives would begin second terms on October 20, 2026.
| Position | Appointing authority | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria | President Muhammadu Buhari | 2016 |
| Director, Media and Publicity, APC Presidential Campaign Council | All Progressives Congress | Not specified |
| Special Adviser on Information and Strategy | President Bola Tinubu | 2023 |
What Is Bayo Onanuga’s Legacy in Nigerian Journalism and Politics?
Bayo Onanuga represents a generation of Nigerian journalists who transitioned from pro-democracy print media into formal government communication roles. His path, from a Concord Group resignation over editorial independence to a presidential spokesperson position, illustrates a career built across four decades of Nigerian media and political history.
His founding role in TheNEWS Magazine and PM News, combined with his subsequent leadership of the News Agency of Nigeria and his current position advising President Tinubu, positions him among the most consistently active figures in Nigeria’s information and media sector.