The Presidency announced the development in a statement issued on Sunday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

According to the statement, Dembos and Ali were first appointed to lead the NTA and NAN respectively on October 20, 2023. Their renewed three-year tenure will commence on October 20, 2026.

Dembos, who hails from Yola, Adamawa State, is a former National President of the Radio, Television, Theatre and Art Workers Union (RATTAWU).

Before his appointment as NTA Director-General, he served as Executive Director of Marketing at the NTA after retiring from the organisation in 2017.

He joined the NTA as an announcer at its Kaduna station after completing his National Youth Service in 1989 and rose through the ranks, serving at various times as General Manager of NTA Lokoja and NTA Kano.

He retired in 2017 as Acting Zonal Director of the NTA Kaduna Network Centre.

Ali Mohammed Ali is a veteran journalist and media manager with more than 30 years of experience in the media industry.

He holds a degree in English from Bayero University, Kano, a graduate degree in International Affairs from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communications from Bayero University, Kano.

The Presidency said Ali has a strong interest in media evolution and content development in the digital era, particularly in meeting the information needs of a diverse population through alternative news platforms.

President Tinubu urged both chief executives to justify the confidence placed in them by continuing to uphold the mandates of their respective organisations.

The President also charged them to remain committed to advancing the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Idris made the remark on Monday after inspecting the newly completed NTA television studio and the renovation work at the National Press Centre, describing both projects as major milestones in the Federal Government’s efforts to reposition government-owned media organisations.

According to the minister, the new NTA studio ranks among the best broadcast facilities not only in Nigeria but across Africa.

“What we have seen today is the fulfilment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promise to modernise Nigeria’s public broadcasting facilities. This is one of the best studios in Nigeria and among the finest on the African continent,” Idris said.

He explained that the investment forms part of a broader programme to upgrade key federal media organisations, including the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Voice of Nigeria (VON) and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The minister commended the management and staff of the NTA for supporting the transformation process, noting that the reforms extend beyond infrastructure to improving content quality, professionalism, innovation and staff capacity.

He added that the ongoing procurement of modern broadcasting equipment for NTA stations nationwide would further strengthen public service broadcasting and improve information dissemination across the country.

Idris also described the recently relaunched Digital Switch Over (DSO) programme as another major step towards transforming Nigeria’s broadcasting industry.

According to him, the combined investments in digital broadcasting infrastructure and media reforms will usher in a new era for the nation’s information sector.

The minister further disclosed that President Tinubu remains committed to improving the welfare of workers in the information sector, stressing that the administration recognises the need to invest in both infrastructure and human capital.

After inspecting the NTA facilities, Idris visited the National Press Centre at Radio House, where he expressed satisfaction with the pace of the ongoing renovation.

He said the upgraded facility would serve as a modern media hub equipped with world-class infrastructure and high-speed internet to support journalists covering government activities and national events.

“The National Press Centre must fulfil its mandate as Nigeria’s foremost media hub. It is being redesigned to provide journalists with a conducive environment and modern facilities to carry out their professional responsibilities effectively,” he said.

The minister urged contractors handling the project to complete the renovation on schedule, noting that he would return for a final inspection before the facility is commissioned.

He reiterated that the ongoing upgrades across federal media institutions demonstrate the Tinubu administration’s commitment to strengthening public communication, promoting credible information dissemination and bringing Nigeria’s public information infrastructure up to international standards.