Organisers of the Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA) have announced the commencement of nominations for the 7th edition of the awards scheduled to hold in May, this year. The award is a yearly platform dedicated to recognising and celebrating excellence, professionalism, innovation, and societal impact in Nigeria’s broadcasting and media. It honours outstanding individuals, programmes, stations, and organisations across radio, television, and digital media platforms.
  
According to the Chairman of the Joint IBAN/NBMA Organising Committee, Dr Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, “the award is a credible benchmark for excellence in the industry. The Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards was established to celebrate professionalism, creativity, and integrity in broadcasting. As the industry continues to evolve, NBMA remains committed to recognising those who consistently raise the bar and positively influence society through their work.”
 
The organisers revealed that the 2026 edition would feature over 85 award categories spanning on-air presentation, programming, technical production, digital innovation, community impact, and special recognition awards.
 
New categories designed to support youth development and reflect the realities of modern media practice. These include Best Communication Student of the Year, created to recognise outstanding students of Mass Communication, Media Studies, Broadcasting, and related disciplines; an Undergraduate Broadcaster Category for students actively involved in campus radio, television, and media production. Also Online Content Creators Categories to honour podcasters, streamers, and digital storytellers shaping Nigeria’s online media space.
  
According to Ramalan, “the new categories are intentionally introduced to bridge the gap between traditional broadcasting and emerging digital platforms. We believe the future of broadcasting lies in nurturing young talents and embracing digital innovation.”
 
“By introducing student and online content creator categories, NBMA is deliberately investing in the next generation of media professionals and acknowledging the growing influence of digital storytelling,” he added.
  
Nominations are open from Sunday, January 30, until Tuesday, March 3, and can be submitted online via www.nbmawards.com or sent to [email protected]. Members of the public, broadcast professionals, tertiary institutions, and industry stakeholders are invited to submit nominations for deserving individuals, programs, stations, students, and digital creators whose work has demonstrated excellence, consistency, creativity, and positive societal impact within the eligibility period.