Television host Kayode Okikiolu has been named the Newsreader of the Year by the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), an annual event that honours journalistic excellence.

Okikiolu, a senior anchor and producer with Channels Television, emerged as the newsreader of the year at the NMMA event held at the Lagos Continental Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday.

Okikiolu was celebrated for his creative approach to journalism, notably through viral videos that distil complex news stories into digestible formats.

NMMA Trustee & Chairman of the Panel of Assessors, Dele Adetiba, said, “This year alone, we had 800 entries for different categories… What separates this award from others is the quality, the integrity and the reputation of those who assessed the entries. We are lucky to have some of the most distinguished media people in the country.”

TVC News was named TV Station of the Year, while its reporters Precious Amayo won the award for TV Programme Presenter of the Year, and Esther Omopariola won the Reporter of the Year.

The Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), popularly known as Radio Nigeria, emerged as Radio Station of the Year, while its reporter Stephen Esabu won Radio Programme of the Year, with Mary Abayomi-Fatile emerging as Radio Reporter of the Year.

The event, which marked the 33rd edition of the Nigeria Media Merit Award, attracted top government officials, media executives and professionals from across the country. Delivering the keynote address, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, underscored the indispensable role of the media in nation-building, stressing that responsible journalism remains critical to public trust, accountability and the success of ongoing reforms.

Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, represented by Garba Kankarofi, commended Nigerian media professionals for their courage, resilience and commitment to truth.