Premium Times

Premium Times
Name	Premium Times
Type	Online newspaper
Format	Digital
Founded	2011
Founder	Dapo Olorunyomi
Headquarters	Abuja
Language	English
Website	Not displayed

Premium Times is a Nigeria-based online newspaper founded in 2011 and known for investigative journalism, political reporting, and public-interest reporting. It operates from Abuja with correspondents across Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, and other Nigerian cities, and has reported on national institutions, elections, and public officials. The outlet has published investigations that intersect with Nigerian politics, regional security, and international development, drawing attention from local and international media, civil society, and legal institutions.

History

Premium Times was established in 2011 by veteran journalist Dapo Olorunyomi alongside a team of editors and reporters. Its founding occurred during the administration of Goodluck Jonathan and amid national debates following the 2011 Nigerian general election and the emergence of Boko Haram as a major security threat. In its early years the paper covered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission probes, the National Assembly activities, and the Independent National Electoral Commission processes. It expanded coverage during the Muhammadu Buhari administration, reporting on anti-corruption initiatives led by the Code of Conduct Bureau, budgetary disputes in the Federal Capital Territory, and tensions involving the Niger Delta Avengers and the Niger Delta militants. Premium Times also chronicled events tied to the Sierra Leone Ebola epidemic's regional effects and engaged with international partners such as Transparency International and the Open Society Foundations.

Ownership and Organization

Ownership traces to founder Dapo Olorunyomi, who previously worked with outlets including TheNEWS and The Punch. The organization has a board and editorial team with alumni from institutions like Reuters, BBC, and Al Jazeera. Management structures interface with non-profit entities, grant-making bodies, and donor organizations including Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and United Nations Development Programme for specific projects. The newsroom collaborates with investigative networks such as the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, and partners with regional bodies like the West African Journalists Association and academic institutions including the University of Ibadan and Ahmadu Bello University for training. Correspondents report from states including Anambra, Katsina, Rivers State, and Enugu, while the editorial office interacts with regulatory bodies like the National Broadcasting Commission and the Nigerian Press Council.

Editorial Focus and Coverage

The outlet emphasizes investigative reporting on corruption, public finance, human rights, and security. Coverage subjects have included the Independent National Electoral Commission's procurement, the Central Bank of Nigeria policies, oil sector actors such as Shell plc and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, and multinationals involved in extractive industries like Chevron Corporation and ExxonMobil. It reports on judicial matters involving the Supreme Court of Nigeria, high-profile trials linked to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and parliamentary oversight by the Senate of Nigeria and House of Representatives (Nigeria). Public health reporting has engaged with entities like the World Health Organization and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency during outbreaks. Social issues coverage has included elections involving figures such as Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar, regional crises in the Sahel, and international diplomacy involving United States and United Kingdom missions in Nigeria.

Investigations and Impact

Investigations have targeted procurement irregularities at agencies like the Department of State Services, revenue leaks in the Federal Inland Revenue Service, and environmental damage linked to operations by Royal Dutch Shell affiliates. Stories have prompted inquiries by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and legislative committees in the National Assembly (Nigeria), and influenced debates at civil society forums hosted by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Reporting on oil bunkering, gas flaring, and pipeline vandalism intersected with the Niger Delta Development Commission and legal actions in the Federal High Court (Nigeria). Coverage of election logistics has contributed to litigation involving the Election Petition Tribunal and stimulated audits by the World Bank and bilateral donors. Collaborative projects with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists have tied national revelations to global investigations such as the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers exposure.

Awards and Recognition

The outlet and its journalists have received accolades from regional and international bodies including the Rory Peck Trust-linked awards, the International Press Institute, and the CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards circuit. Individual reporters have been shortlisted for prizes administered by Committee to Protect Journalists and the One World Media awards. Coverage has been cited by institutions such as Transparency International and academic citations at the London School of Economics and Harvard Kennedy School. Grants and fellowships from the Knight Foundation and MacArthur Foundation have supported investigative projects, while the newsroom’s training partnerships have included the Thomson Reuters Foundation and Internews.

Criticism and Controversies

The publication has faced legal challenges, including defamation suits and government summonses involving agencies like the State Security Service and the Attorney General of the Federation. Critics from political parties such as the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party have accused it of bias in electoral coverage, while media regulators and opponents have contested reporting methods in litigation at the High Court of the FCT and panels by the National Human Rights Commission. Rival outlets including Sahara Reporters and Vanguard (Nigeria) have engaged in public disputes over sourcing and editorial standards. Debates about funding from foreign foundations involving Open Society Foundations and implications for editorial independence have been raised by commentators at Nigerian Bar Association events and academic forums at University of Lagos.

Category:Nigerian news websites