Rotimi Sankore: The Influential Voice in African Media and Policy
Rotimi Sankore (born June 5, 1968, in Lagos) was a renowned journalist, researcher, and human rights advocate who made significant contributions to media and development across Nigeria, Africa, and the global stage.
Throughout his career, Sankore championed journalism that promoted democracy, equality, good governance, and human rights. He worked across print, broadcast, and digital platforms, and led several media and advocacy organizations committed to social and political transformation.
He served as the Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief of the Africa Facility for Development Journalism, a body that provided strategic communication support to organizations pushing for political, economic, and social change on the continent.
He was also a former Chair of the Editorial Board of the Nigeria Info Radio Group under the AIM Media Group, which manages popular stations like Nigeria Info, Cool FM, WaZoBia FM, and Arewa Radio across key cities including Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Onitsha.
During the Millennium Development Goals era (2000–2015), Sankore was the first Editor-in-Chief of Africa Human & Social Development Information, pioneering the use of data and statistics in journalism to influence policy and development advocacy.
In the mid to late 1990s, he was the founding editor of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Africa website, where he spotlighted issues such as democracy, human rights, corruption, and public accountability.
Over the years, he contributed to several high-profile local and international publications, including The Guardian Nigeria, The Guardian UK, Mail & Guardian (South Africa), New African Magazine, Index on Censorship, The Journalist (UK), and Tempo and The News magazines in Nigeria.
He was also a respected broadcaster, known for hosting The Public Square on Nigeria Info Radio, a flagship show that dissected governance, democracy, and public policy issues.
Sankore’s influence extended beyond journalism. He worked on numerous global development projects, consulting for international organizations such as UNFPA, UNAIDS, WHO, the African Development Bank, and the African Union Commission. He also collaborated with the Geneva-based Global Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health.
Rotimi Sankore is survived by his mother, daughter, and brother. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family in due course.