NMG all set to launch new paper in Nairobi

Chief Executive Officer, Mr Linus Gitahi

The Nation Media Group is all set to launch a new newspaper to serve Nairobi and its over four million residents.

“We are very excited about this development,” said Mr Linus Gitahi, the group’s Chief Executive Officer. “Nairobi being a cosmopolitan city has evolved into one of Africa’s prominent metropolis both politically and financially, contributing more than 60 per cent to Kenya’s economy”.

Nairobi is a melting pot of diverse ethnic groups and nationalities, which are now being referred to as ‘Nairobians’.

“They, therefore, deserve a newspaper that reflects their lives and aspirations”.

He also announced the company’s plans to invest in an ultra-modern printing press to cost Sh1.8 billion ($20 million). The new press is expected to boost the Nation’s printing capacity and enable it to serve its growing market. The press will replace the current one which was commissioned in 1996.

The investment is an expression of confidence in the continued growth of newspapers in the region with research predicting increased consumption of print media in Africa and other emerging markets. Newspaper circulation in Africa went up by 30 per cent in 2011.

“We want to take full advantage of the expected growth of Kenya’s and indeed the region’s economies which will in turn drive newspaper readership and advertising spend,” said Mr Gitahi.

Besides Kenya, the Nation Media Group has interests in print, broadcast and digital operations in East Africa.

In Uganda it publishes the Monitor and Enyandda, a Luganda sports weekly, and also owns the leading TV station, NTV(U), and radio stations KFM and Dembe.

It also owns the biggest daily newspaper in Tanzania, Mwananchi, and the biggest selling weekly, Mwanaspoti. It also publishes The Citizen.

In Rwanda, it runs KFM. -Daily Nation