Rotimi Richard Pedro takes helm at NTA: can a media veteran revive Africa’s oldest broadcaster?
When news broke that Rotimi Richard Pedro had been appointed the new Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), industry watchers knew that change might finally be on the horizon. For decades, NTA has been the country’s biggest broadcaster by size and reach – yet one of its most underwhelming by impact. Despite its sprawling network of over 100 local and international outlets, Nigeria’s state broadcaster has struggled to keep pace with private competitors, often reduced to an afterthought even by government ministries who pay top naira to advertise elsewhere.
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Enter Pedro – a Lagos-born media executive whose career is defined not just by longevity but by results. With nearly three decades of experience across Africa, the UK and the Middle East, Pedro’s story is one of relentless reinvention, bold bets, and a refusal to accept mediocrity in African broadcasting.
From sports law to sports empire
Trained as an entertainment and intellectual property lawyer, Pedro earned an MSc in Investment Management & Finance from City University Business School, London. In 1995, he founded Optima Sports Management International (OSMI), which went on to dominate sports content across the continent. Under his leadership, OSMI secured the rights to broadcast the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup and CAF competitions in more than 40 African countries – transforming how the continent consumed football.
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But Pedro wasn’t just about rights deals. He was about moments. In 2003, when organisers of the All-African Games in Abuja wanted to secure a high-profile friendly match to inaugurate the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Pedro delivered Brazil, the reigning world champions at the time. The star-studded side — featuring Ronaldinho, Adriano, Luis Fabiano, Lúcio, and Dida — thrilled the Nigerian crowd, even as they beat the Super Eagles 3-0.
A year later, when Nigeria’s national team struggled for quality international friendlies, Pedro launched the Unity Cup in London. What began at Charlton Athletic’s Valley Stadium has since grown into a celebrated football and entertainment spectacle. By 2025, the tournament at Brentford’s Community Stadium had become so prominent that even the Mayor of London was in attendance.
Building global platforms from African soil
Pedro’s influence goes far beyond football. He has held senior roles at Bloomberg Television Africa, Rapid Blue Format, and worked as a consultant for FIFA, UEFA, Fremantle Media and the African Union of Broadcasters (AUB). With the AUB, he helped secure exclusive pan-African free-to-air media rights for all CAF competitions.
At Bloomberg Television Africa, Pedro spearheaded an ambitious localisation project in partnership with Bloomberg Media LP. The goal, as he put it, was not to push an “African agenda” but to tell Africa’s story truthfully. “I do not believe in pandering to nationalistic sentiments one way or the other; it must be factual, it must be reported right – the bad side and the good side. The truth is somewhere in the middle,” he said in one interview.
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Beyond news, Pedro has been behind some of the continent’s biggest entertainment formats, including Nigerian Idol, X-Factor West Africa and Nigeria’s Got Talent – projects that unlocked millions in sponsorship revenue and reshaped Africa’s media economy.
The NPFL gamble
Perhaps his boldest ambition has been his ongoing push to reposition the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) for global television markets. Pedro has long argued that if South Africa’s league rights fetch $250 million and leagues in Egypt, Tunisia and Tanzania attract millions, Nigeria – the self-proclaimed “home of football passion” – deserves even more.
Crucially, he has insisted that the NPFL’s broadcast hub must be domiciled at NTA Abuja, not outsourced abroad. For him, building commercial value in Nigerian football is not just about money; it’s about ownership and legacy.
the NTA challenge
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Now, as he takes the reins of NTA, Pedro faces perhaps his toughest task yet. Once the pride of Nigerian broadcasting, the station has struggled for relevance in the age of digital disruption. Its facilities are outdated, its content often uninspired, and its revenue streams weak. Even state agencies frequently bypass NTA in favour of private channels.
For Pedro, fixing NTA will demand more than fresh slogans. Analysts say it will require strong government support, funding for modern equipment, and a cultural shift within the organisation. Yet if anyone has the credentials to pull it off, it is Pedro – a man who has managed projects worth more than US$350 million, transformed African sports broadcasting, and built platforms that speak to global audiences while rooted in African realities.
Optimism as strategy
Despite the challenges, Pedro remains a perennial optimist. “You can either see fear or optimism in the future,” he once said. “I choose to see optimism. Maybe that is my bane – but I strongly believe there is a place for credible information. This will work.”
For NTA, that belief may be exactly what it needs. If Pedro’s track record is any guide, the Nigerian Television Authority might finally be ready to move from nostalgia to relevance – reclaiming its place as Africa’s true broadcasting giant.
