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Business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCFR; advertising guru, Dr. Biodun Shobanjo, OON; media giant, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, CON; and banking entrepreneur, Mr. Jim Ovia, CFR, will headline the DTN@100 Shaping the Future Town Hall and National Conversation scheduled to hold in Lagos on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
The high-profile gathering, organised as part of the centenary celebration of The Daily Times, will bring together business leaders, media executives, policymakers and technology experts to examine Nigeria’s achievements and address concerns about the country’s international image.
The event will be co-chaired by former Ogun State Governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, CON; Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Amuka-Pemu, CON; and Executive Chairman of Tanus Communications, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, OFR.
A major focus of the conversation will be how Nigeria can improve its global perception despite the remarkable achievements of its citizens across technology, medicine, sports, music and other fields.
The organisers say the national conversation is designed to deepen discourse on Nigeria’s accomplishments, recognise individuals driving change and develop ideas for communicating a more positive and balanced Nigerian story to the international community.
At the event, Dangote, Group President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Industries Limited, will receive the Centenary Excellence Award.
Shobanjo, Chairman of Troika Group/Insight Publicis, will be honoured with the Trailblazer of the Century Award, while Obaigbena, Chairman of THISDAY/ARISE News, will receive the Media Icon of the Decade Award.
Ovia, founder of Zenith Bank, is also scheduled to receive the Changemaker of the Century Award.
Other personalities expected to be recognised include Chairman of The Sun Newspapers, Ms Neya Orji Kalu; Minister of Defence, Major General Christopher Musa; Inspector-General of Police, Jimi Disu; and Founder and Chairman of Nova Bank, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, among others.
The conversation will feature contributions from prominent industry leaders and experts, including Mr. Alex Okosi, Managing Director of Google Africa; Mr. Jude Jideonwo, Co-founder of RED For Africa; and Mrs. Olutomiwa Williams, Chief Growth and AI Officer for the Middle East and Africa at Microsoft.
The Lagos town hall is the second major activity in the multi-layered DTN@100 centenary programme.
Other components include the Honouring the Past Exhibition, which will showcase Nigerians who helped shape the country’s history through their contributions and achievements, as well as the DTN@100 Times Heroes Awards, designed to celebrate individuals shaping the future through leadership, patriotism and service to humanity.
The exhibition will draw on historical records and photographs documented by The Daily Times throughout its 100 years of reporting and service to Nigeria.
The centenary programme commenced with the inaugural DTN@100 Times Heroes Awards held in Abuja on September 3, 2026, under the theme, Honouring the Past, Shaping the Future.
As part of its centenary legacy project, Folio Group, owners of The Daily Times, has also dedicated the newspaper’s extensive archives to developing The Nigerian Grand Book (Magnum Opus), a 700-page national souvenir intended to tell Nigeria’s story to the world.
The publication is conceived as an authentic historical and cultural resource and a strategic instrument for reshaping international perceptions of Nigeria.
According to the organisers, the decision to celebrate 100 of the most impactful Nigerians, past and present, through the Times Heroes Awards is rooted in the desire to promote a positive narrative about the country during its centenary year, spanning June 1, 2026, to June 1, 2027.
The DTN@100 initiative seeks to celebrate Nigeria’s history, recognise outstanding contributions to national development and inspire a new generation through the stories of individuals
