At a time when early digital narratives predicted the decline of print, the findings show a different reality. Print media has not lost relevance. Instead, it has evolved into a trusted, high-impact channel that complements digital platforms, particularly for corporate communication, regulatory visibility, and premium brand positioning.

Drawing insights from approximately 1,800 print publications across daily, weekly, and monthly titles, the report analysed advertising activity across 29 commercial banks, 4 telecommunications operators, and 14 insurance companies, focusing on advert placements, spend, platform preference, and front-page positioning.

The report is also structured for strong digital indexing, ensuring that when referenced brands are searched in relation to media visibility, advertising spend, and market positioning, this analysis remains a key reference point within Nigeria’s media and communications landscape.

Banking Sector: High Spend, Strategic Placement, and Intense Competition

The banking sector recorded the highest level of print media activity in Q1 2026, reflecting its continued reliance on traditional media for credibility and stakeholder communication. Out of 29 commercial banks monitored, 18 were active advertisers, delivering 1,260 advert placements with a total spend of ₦1.28 billion.

Market activity remains highly concentrated. Zenith Bank led advert placements with 38%, followed by Access Bank (14%), UBA (12%), and GTBank (10%), collectively accounting for the majority of sector visibility.

Mid-tier players such as Polaris Bank (9%) and FirstBank (5%) maintained moderate presence, while Stanbic IBTC Bank and Fidelity Bank (4% each) recorded steady but limited activity. FCMB and Wema Bank (2% each) lagged in share of voice.

Front-page competition further highlights strategic intent. Access Bank led with 42%, followed by Zenith Bank (37%) and Stanbic IBTC Bank (21%), indicating a deliberate push toward premium visibility.

In terms of spend, Zenith Bank accounted for 39%, followed by Access Bank (20%), GTBank (11%), and Polaris Bank (10%).

Notably, UBA’s 8% spend relative to 12% placement share suggests a more cost-efficient media buying strategy, while Access Bank’s higher spend reflects premium positioning.

Platform dominance remains evident, with ThisDay accounting for 58% of placements, followed by BusinessDay (13%), Leadership (12%), Daily Trust (10%), and The Punch (7%).

Industry Insight:

In banking, visibility is not just a function of spend, but of placement quality. Front-page positioning and premium platforms continue to shape perceived authority and credibility.

Telecommunications Sector: Low Activity, Single-Brand Dominance

The telecommunications sector presented a sharply different picture, defined by low participation and high concentration.

Out of 4 telecom operators monitored, only 2 were active, generating 58 advert placements and a total spend of ₦93.29 million.

Globacom dominated with 81% of placements, while MTN Nigeria accounted for 19%, with other operators inactive. This dominance extended to premium visibility, with Globacom securing 100% of front-page placements.

Advert spend reinforces this control, with Globacom contributing 90% of total spend compared to MTN’s 10%.

Platform preference was similarly concentrated, with ThisDay capturing 82% of placements, significantly ahead of other publications.

Industry Insight:

The telecom sector demonstrates that sustained investment by a single player can effectively control media narrative and limit competitive visibility.

Insurance Sector: Low Spend, Limited Competition, Minimal Premium Positioning

The insurance sector recorded the lowest level of print media activity among the three sectors analysed.

Out of 14 insurance brands monitored, only 2 were active, generating 35 advert placements and total spend of ₦15.81 million.

Leadway Assurance dominated with 88% of placements, while SanlamAllianz Nigeria accounted for 12%. Notably, no front-page placements were recorded, indicating limited investment in premium visibility.

In terms of spend, Leadway contributed 75%, while SanlamAllianz accounted for 25%.

Unlike banking and telecoms, platform preference was more fragmented, led by The Punch (22%), followed by Vanguard (17%), with the remainder spread across multiple publications.

Industry Insight:

The sector reflects low competitive pressure, with limited strategic investment in high-impact media positioning, suggesting untapped opportunity for differentiation.

Print Media: Still Relevant, Still Trusted, Still Strategic

The report reinforces that print media remains a critical channel for corporate Nigeria, not in opposition to digital platforms, but as part of a broader, integrated communication strategy.

While social media has expanded access to information, it has not replaced the credibility, structure, and authority associated with print publications. Instead, it has created more options for consumption, allowing print to retain its position as a trusted source for business, policy, and corporate communication.

Importantly, the findings also highlight that advert placement does not automatically translate to higher reach or impact. Media platform quality, audience profile, and placement positioning remain key determinants of effectiveness.

Data, Decisions, and the Future of Media Investment

Commenting on the report, Tumininu Balogun, senior analyst at P+ Measurement Services, stated:

“For over a decade, we have remained at the forefront of media intelligence in Nigeria, supporting PR and communications professionals with reliable data and actionable insight. Our goal is simple, to ensure that decision-making is driven by evidence, not assumptions.”

She added,

“This report is not just about who spent the most. It is about helping brands understand where to invest, how to position, and why platform quality matters as much as budget. In today’s environment, visibility without strategy is simply noise.”

*P+ Measurement Services is a leading independent media intelligence consultancy and a member of the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC).

The firm provides media monitoring, advertising audit, reputation analysis, and performance evaluation services, supporting brands, public institutions, and PR consultancies with the insights required to make data-driven communication decisions.

The report analysed and audited thousands of print and online news reports published in 2025 across the banking, insurance, telecommunications, and e-hailing sectors.

In total, coverage of 29 commercial banks, 13 insurance companies, five e-hailing platforms, and four telecommunications operators was examined to determine how corporate actions translated into public perception.

According to the findings, rising operational costs, currency pressures, regulatory scrutiny, labour relations, and service reliability now directly influence how brands are judged in the media and by stakeholders.

“Reputation is no longer a soft outcome of publicity. It is a measurable business asset shaped by corporate behaviour, governance quality, customer experience, and crisis response,” said Tumininu Balogun, senior analyst at P+ Measurement Services.

She added, “For more than a decade, we have been at the forefront of media intelligence in Nigeria. Our commitment to the PR and communications industry is to ensure that reliable media data and actionable insight are always available, so professionals can move beyond intuition and make truly data-driven decisions.”

E-Hailing Industry: Driver Relations Reshaped Corporate Reputation

The e-hailing sector recorded one of the clearest shifts in reputation dynamics in 2025, driven largely by labour policies and platform economics.

inDrive Nigeria led the sector with 39% of positive reputation share, following extensive media coverage of its decision to reduce driver commission to 0.1% during peak hours in Abuja. Bolt Nigeria followed with 32%, supported by reports on its electric tricycle deployment in Lagos. LagRide recorded 17%, driven by coverage of its electric vehicle infrastructure partnership, while Uber Nigeria accounted for 11% and Rida 1%.

On the negative reputation scale, Bolt recorded the highest share at 40%, linked to driver protests following fare reduction policies. Uber accounted for 29%, inDrive 20%, LagRide 8%, and Rida 3%, largely associated with reports on strike threats, platform reliability concerns, and driver earnings disputes.

The report notes that how platforms treat drivers has become as influential to reputation as rider experience.

Banking Industry: Profitability Confronted by Governance Risk

Among commercial banks, Stanbic IBTC recorded the strongest positive reputation position at 26%, driven by recognition as KPMG’s top retail bank. Zenith Bank followed with 22%, supported by dividend payout coverage. Fidelity Bank (19%), UBA (17%), and FirstBank (16%) gained positive reputation visibility through education initiatives, digital service upgrades, and branch automation projects.

However, reputational exposure remained significant. GTCO recorded the highest negative reputation share at 28%, followed by FirstBank at 26%, FCMB at 18%, and both UBA and Ecobank at 14%, mainly due to media reports concerning legal disputes, fraud investigations, and customer-related controversies.

The report highlights that in the banking sector, strong earnings and digital innovation strengthen reputation, but governance failures can rapidly undermine it.

Insurance Industry: Financial Stability and Data Protection Define Trust

In the insurance sector, AXA Mansard led positive reputation share with 36%, followed by Leadway Assurance (29%), AIICO (16%), NEM Insurance (11%), and SanlamAllianz (8%).

AXA Mansard also accounted for the highest negative reputation exposure at 68%, driven by reports of a significant decline in pre-tax profit. AIICO recorded 18%, Leadway 12%, and NEM 2%, largely connected to regulatory matters and data protection concerns, including coverage of customer data breaches.

The findings indicate that insurers are now judged as much by financial resilience and cybersecurity posture as by product offerings.

Telecommunications Industry: Infrastructure Investment Meets Rising Public Expectations

MTN Nigeria led positive reputation share with 47%, driven by infrastructure expansion narratives and innovation campaigns. Glo followed with 28%, Airtel Nigeria with 16%, and T2 (formerly 9mobile) with 9%, largely supported by its rebranding coverage.

On the negative reputation side, MTN recorded 44%, T2 31%, Glo 13%, and Airtel 12%, influenced by reports on service quality challenges and the Nigeria Labour Congress boycott directive targeting telecommunications operators.

The sector’s results suggest that while capital investment enhances visibility, network reliability and customer experience increasingly determine long-term reputation.

Reputation Has Become a Strategic Business Asset

Across all four industries, the report finds a consistent pattern: reputation in 2025 closely followed corporate behaviour.

Brands that demonstrated transparency, operational fairness, financial discipline, digital reliability, and customer focus were more likely to build positive public trust. Companies facing labour unrest, legal disputes, regulatory sanctions, data breaches, or service disruptions saw these issues rapidly reflected in their reputation profile.

For brand owners, investors, regulators, and communication professionals, the implication is clear: reputation is no longer managed only through messaging, but through measurable actions that are permanently recorded in the media ecosystem and searchable online.

P+ Measurement Services is Nigeria’s foremost independent media intelligence and reputation analytics consultancy and a member of the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC).

The firm provides media monitoring, reputation auditing, performance evaluation, and strategic communication and PR measurement services to corporations, public institutions, and communication consultancies across Africa.