Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi is a man of many parts. More than being a politician, the Kakaaki Nupe is a top public relations expert, a teacher, a Media owner, philanthropist and astute business-minded individual who is always giving his all to any goal he sets for himself.  

For the Nupe traditional title holder, after his clearance by the Senate, the nominee will be seeking to add value to the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration by providing “a purposeful and result-oriented leadership at the highest level of policy formulation and implementation in the executive branch of the Nigerian government to engender national growth and development.”

Personal profile

Born 2nd of May, 1966, the nominee hails from Malagi in Gbako local government area of Niger state. The accomplished media entrepreneur is a Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) philanthropist, political leader and a family man married with children.  

He completed his primary school education at Central Primary School, Kontagora, Niger state, from where he proceeded to Zungeru College of Advanced Studies, Bida (1982) and finally had his Senior School Certificate at the Government Secondary School, in Rijau, all in Niger state.

 In 1984, the young Mohammed enrolled for the Pre-Degree Programme at the University of Sokoto (now Usman Danfodio University Sokoto), after which he got enlisted for a degree programme and bagged a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English (B.A English). He was to later proceed to Bayero University Kano in 1995 for a Masters Degree in English (M.A English)

At different times, the media owner attended several local and international workshops and conferences on public relations, media entrepreneurship and leadership to further sharpen both his managerial and professional prowess.

Political engagements

As a grassroots politician, Malagi brought his PR and media expertise into helping to reposition and rebrand the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger state, and also donated generously towards the party’s cause at the local, state and national levels. Of course, as a lover of politics without bitterness, he calmly accepted the outcome of the APC governorship primaries, in the belief that “only Allah gives and takes power from whom He so wishes. We are all one, and we must not allow politics to set us apart.  There is no need to foment trouble all because one wants to serve the people.”   

Work experience

He is the Chairman and Lead Consultant BIFOCAL COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED (a leading Public Relations company in Nigeria), and remains the company’s visioner for over 30 years; leading the team to provide communications solutions to clients in the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy

Also, the ministerial nominee had also served as Communications Consultant to the Federal Government Project to promote Girl-Child Education in Nigeria from 2007 to 2009, and as Communications Consultant on the Promotion of Nomadic Education in Northern Nigeria by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development from 2007 to 2009.

He led the committee that developed and implemented Training Guide for Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) across Nigeria from 2009 to 2011, and was also appointed as Communications Consultant by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from 2017 to 2021.

Similarly, the PR giant facilitated the Design and Implementation of Strategic Communications Guidelines for the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in 2019-2022.

Media space

With a modest success in the PR space, Idris took a dive into the media pool in 2011 following which he established BLUEPRINT NEWSPAPERS (Publishers of Blueprint, Blueprint Weekend and Manhaja (the Hausa language title) which have continued to wax stronger and making greater inroad into the newspaper industry, thus making the platform the second most-read in the Northern Nigeria.

The medium has remained consistent and objective in its coverage of government policies, incisive analysis and reportage of major events in Nigeria, including security-related issues such as the counter terrorism efforts of the federal government in the Northern Nigeria.

The Kakaaki Nupe had also hosted The Blueprint Annual Impact Series and Awards, one of the largest and longest-running conferences on social, political and economic policies by a media organisation in Northern Nigeria since 2019.

All these feats combined to earn him a pride of place in the Northern Media Forum and the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN).

In furtherance of his foray into the media world, Idris ventured into broadcast media and now Chairman, Kings Broadcasting Limited; owners of WE FM 106.3, Abuja, while BLUEPRINT TELEVISION (BTV Hausa), which is almost at its final stage, will also be added to the media stable.

Other media engagements

And prior to the commencement of Blueprint, the media guru was Editor-in-Chief, The Market (the first Business-oriented Magazine in Northern Nigeria) 2000-2011; Chairman, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Kaduna State Chapter 2004-2008; Vice Chairman, Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) 2004-2007; Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR)

2008; Publicity Secretary, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) 2018-2021; Secretary General NPAN 2020-date and Member, International Press Institute (IPI) 2021-date.

He was also a Nigerian Delegate to the World Press Congress in Switzerland by the IPI in 2021, member, US-based Online News Association, Northern Media Forum, and Northern Broadcast Media Owners Association

Public service

He was Chairman/Chief Executive Officer ABUJA PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT COMPANY (APDC) F.C.T.A-Owned Property Development Company, and re-appointed Chairman, Board of Directors.

From 2017-2022,  he was Chairman, Board of Directors ADMINISTRATIVE INTERVENTIONS AT APDC, during which he led the management of APDC to the completion of a Permanent Head Office Complex after over 10 years of operating from a rented office space.

Awards and recognitions

At different times, he also bagged several awards some of which include Media Icon Award by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (2022); Special Recognition Award by National Association of Niger

State Students (NANIS) in 2022; Meritorious Service Award by Abuja Property Development Company (APDC) 2021; appointed and turbaned as Kakaaki Nupe by the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar in 2021.

He also got the NIPR Presidential Special Recognition Award for Meritorious Service to the Public Relations Profession and Humanity and Distinguished Service Award by the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN).

For the PR expert, reading and networking are his major hobbies.