SALIHU ABDULHAMID DEMBOS, Director-General, NTA
Transformational Media Personality of the year
Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos stands as one of Africa’s most distinguished public broadcasting leaders—an accomplished media executive whose transformative vision has repositioned the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for national relevance and global competitiveness.
His tenure has ushered in historic progress, institutional stability, and renewed public confidence across all tiers of government.
Dembos began his executive leadership journey in NTA as the Executive Director of Marketing, serving two successful three-year terms marked by exceptional performance and strategic foresight. His impressive record earned him appointment as Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority by former President Muhammadu Buhari, and his subsequent reappointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu further affirmed the continuity, trust, and strategic value of his stewardship of the nation’s foremost broadcaster.
Born on August 27, 1960, in Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Dembos embodies a rare blend of professional competence, administrative depth, and unwavering dedication to the advancement of public broadcasting. With a remarkable media careers panning more than three decades, he has consistently demonstrated strategic leadership,executive discipline, and institutional reform capacity.
He holds a Higher National Diploma (HND) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing—both from Kaduna Polytechnic—alongside a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. These qualifications underpin his analytical strength,organisational acumen, and managerial excellence
Dembos’ early leadership prominence emerged through his service in the Radio, Television,Theatre and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU), where he rose to the position of NationalPresident for two terms. He also served on the National Executive Council of the Nigerian
Labour Congress (NLC), reinforcing his long-standing commitment to labour development and the growth of Nigeria’s media ecosystem.
Throughout his distinguished career, he has held several strategic positions, including General Manager of NTA Lokoja, General Manager of NTA Kano, and Zonal Director of NTA Kaduna.
Since assuming office as Director-General, Dembos has championed far-reaching reformsthat have repositioned NTA as a modern public broadcaster. His key transformative achievements include:
• Deployment of advanced management systems and digital technologies to drive efficiency and operational excellence.
• Strategic prioritisation of staff training and professional development to build sustainable institutional capacity.
• Comprehensive upgrade of broadcasting and transmission infrastructure for stronger,clearer, and more reliable signals.
• Promotion of indigenous content development and the advancement of African media creativity and technologies.
• Integration of digital and social media platforms for real-time news delivery and widespread audience engagement.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s communication and media landscape, Dembos has been honoured with several prestigious fellowships:
• Fellow, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN)
• Fellow, Institute of Credit Administrators of Nigeria
• Fellow, Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON)
He is also the recipient of:
• Honorary Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR)
• Honorary Doctorate Degree, London Graduate School and the Commonwealth University of Business, Arts and Technology
On the continental stage, Dembos serves as the Fourth Vice President of the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), where he advocates for innovation, collaboration, and media freedom across Africa.He is also Chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria(BON), where he continues to champion industry-wide standards and progressive reforms.
Multilingual in English, Hausa, and Fulfulde, he is highly regarded for his intellectual clarity,strategic communication, and organisational discipline. Away from work, he enjoys playing squash.
Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos’ recognition as The Top10 Magazine’s Transformational Media Personality of the Year is a well-deserved honour—celebrating his visionary leadership,groundbreaking reforms, distinguished academic and professional accomplishments, and enduring commitment to strengthening public broadcasting in Nigeria. His legacy is one of excellence, transformation, and progressive leadership in the media sector.
