Nigerian media titan Nduka Obaigbena has unveiled ambitious plans for a new digital platform designed to challenge the dominance of American and Chinese tech giants in global content distribution.
Speaking at the 21st All Nigeria Editors Conference in Abuja, the founder of THISDAY Media Group and ARISE News Channel announced that Lekeelekee will launch in January 2026 as an African-owned alternative for content creators and distributors.
Addressing over 500 editors, government officials, and diplomats at the State House Conference Hall, Obaigbena described the platform as a strategic response to what he characterized as the stranglehold that major powers hold over information flows worldwide.
“We are entering an AI-dominated information age where Google’s algorithms are changing, search models are shifting, and the monetization of content is being rewritten,” he warned. “If we do not act, we will again be consumers, not creators, in the new media economy.”
The media executive painted a stark picture of Africa’s risk of becoming marginalized in the digital age, cautioning that the continent could remain merely a passive observer while a handful of nations control how content is created, distributed, and monetized globally.
Lekeelekee is envisioned as a comprehensive multimedia platform where African creators, editors, and broadcasters can independently distribute their work without relying on Western or Chinese digital infrastructure. Obaigbena emphasized the need for homegrown technology and algorithms that allow Africans to determine how their content is shared and compensated.
The announcement comes at a pivotal moment for Nigerian media. Obaigbena drew parallels between the country’s authoritarian past and its current democratic era, invoking the memory of journalist Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was executed 30 years ago under military rule. He noted that the conference was taking place in the same government complex, but now under democratic governance.
President Bola Tinubu, himself a former media proprietor, attended the conference alongside state governors and senior government officials. Obaigbena praised the president’s engagement with the press and urged national leaders to protect recent economic reforms.
Beyond the technology announcement, Obaigbena called on editors to form a united front against insecurity, poverty, and misinformation. He warned that external sanctions or disruptions could undermine Nigeria’s economic stability and urged media professionals to defend democracy through dialogue and collective action.
The conference, themed “Democratic Governance and National Cohesion: The Role of Editors,” brought together prominent figures including governors from Plateau, Zamfara, Nasarawa, and Kano states, as well as veteran journalists and government ministers.
With artificial intelligence rapidly transforming journalism and content creation, Obaigbena’s message resonated as a call for African technological sovereignty in an increasingly digital world.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
