Dami Dawson: Has Radio in Nigeria Lost Its Soul?

Nigeria has consistently been one of the top five countries listening to this podcast. With so much great English-language radio being made there, I wanted to hear more about what’s working—and what’s changing.

Dami Dawson is an award-winning writer and new media executive based in Lagos. Dami’s career has taken him from radio into television and digital media, including his work at Pulse and now TVC Communications. He also manages Rewind 107.9 FM, “where nostalgia lives.”

We explore what it’s like to make radio in Nigeria in 2026, and I hear plenty of parallels with North America: questions about audience measurement, pressure to hire personalities based on social media followers, and the challenge of keeping experienced broadcasters behind the microphone.

Dami explains why conversation connects with Lagos listeners, how broadcasters can build a social audience without sacrificing substance, and what holds back emerging Nigerian creators. He also shares why he believes radio hasn’t died—it has lost its soul—and what it will take to bring that connection back.

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