Chairman of Folio Communications, owners of Daily Times, Fidelis Anosike, has described Nigeria as a country with great future, even as he urged every citizenat home, and in the diaspora, to take part and take pride in its development.

Addressing journalists in Lagos recently, he identified challenges such as perception of the country internationally.

As a way out, Anosike said one of the first things that should be done is to change the narrative through which the country is perceived.

He added, “we have also embarked on the writing of the Nigerian Grand Book, because we believe we need to tell the story of Nigeria better and, in doing so, change the global perception of our country.”

To this end, he further disclosed that as part of activities marking the centenary celebration of Daily Times of Nigeria, the Times Heroes Awards Council, has announced plans to convene Town Hall meeting as the newspaper moves from celebrating Nigeria’s past to shaping its future.

Themed, ‘Honouring the past, shaping the future,’ will bring together key stakeholders from government, business, media, creative industries, civil society and other sectors to examine practical pathways towards a more prosperous, competitive and positively positioned the country.

He disclosed the event represents the second phase of the Daily Times@100 centenary programme.

The first phase was marked by the Times Heroes Awards, held on September 3, 2026, where deserving Nigerians and organisations were recognised for their exceptional contributions to national development and nation-building.

Anosike explained that the centenary programme was deliberately structured around two complementary objectives: celebrating those who have contributed to the nation’s development while creating a platform for conversations about the country’s future.

He said the Town Hall meeting would retain elements of the first phase of the centenary celebration, with awards, a fireside chat and a keynote address by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, forming part of the programme.

Anosike also said the event is expected to provide a platform for robust conversations around the nation’s development trajectory, its global image and the role of different sectors and stakeholders in building a more prosperous and competitive nation.

On his part, Chairman of the Times Heroes Awards Council, Bolaji Okusaga, noted the centenary celebration is not simply about commemorating the newspaper’s long history, but about positioning the institution for its next century.

Over the past 22 years, he recalled Folio Communications has invested in rebuilding and expanding the Daily Times brand while developing new platforms and franchises across the media and creative economy.

He further highlighted some of the transformation as digital evolution of Daily Times, re-engineering of the Miss Nigeria pageant, the development of the Craft Creative Market as a pan-African franchise and strategic partnerships within the international media ecosystem, including its partnership with CNN.

These initiatives, he said, form part of a broader effort to reposition Daily Times for relevance in a rapidly changing media environment.

Okusaga added the next phase of the journey is focused on taking the newspaper and its platforms into their second century through accelerated digital transformation and a renewed commitment to relevance, innovation and national development.

The Council believes that changing the country’s global perception will require a sustained effort to identify, document and amplify the achievements of Nigerians across sectors, while creating platforms where policymakers, entrepreneurs, creatives, professionals and citizens can engage meaningfully on the country’s future.

Founded in 1926, Daily Times has been an important part of the country’s media and national development history, documenting major political, economic and social milestones while providing a platform for public discourse across generations.