Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, turned 60 on Friday, May 2, 2026, drawing warm tributes from President Bola Tinubu and widespread recognition of his nearly three years steering the country’s public communication.
In a personal, signed statement, President Tinubu described Idris as “an excellent communicator, public relations executive, and media leader who has brought finesse, credibility, and gravitas to public communication” in his administration. The president commended the minister for his “diligence, brilliance and doggedness” in communicating government policies and programmes.
Tinubu also recalled Idris’s tenure as General Secretary of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, saying it reflected his deep commitment to national development and partnership within the media ecosystem.Tinubu highlighted Idris’s extensive background, noting his role as founder and publisher of Blueprint Newspapers and his leadership of a successful public relations and broadcast media outfit.
Born on May 2, 1966, Idris undertook his primary and secondary education in Kontagora and Rijau, Niger State, before bagging a degree in English at Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, in 1987. He later acquired a master’s degree at Bayero University Kano.
Idris, who was appointed a Minister in 2023, is also a recipient of various awards, including the Vanguard Image Maker Award in 2026, the Nigeria Excellence Award in Public Service for Public Communication and Transparency in 2025, and the NUJ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.
