Yakubu Mohammed, a co-founder of the influential Nigerian news magazine Newswatch and its former deputy chief executive officer, has died at the age of 75.
Mohammed’s death comes barely two months after the passing of his longtime colleague and fellow Newswatch co-founder, Dan Agbese, who died on November 17, 2025, after a prolonged illness. Sources said Mohammed had also been battling an undisclosed ailment prior to his death.
In October 2025, just weeks before he passed away, Mohammed published his memoir, Beyond Expectations, a book that offered rare and detailed insights into the history of Newswatch and the personalities behind the publication.
The memoir chronicled major milestones in the magazine’s journey, including the controversy surrounding the 1986 assassination of its founding editor-in-chief, Dele Giwa, as well as the prolonged internal struggles over ownership and control of the once-powerful news outlet.
Mohammed was part of the original team that launched Newswatch in 1984 alongside Dan Agbese, Ray Ekpu and Dele Giwa. The magazine quickly rose to prominence, earning a reputation for bold investigative journalism and fearless reporting during periods of military rule in Nigeria.
As deputy chief executive officer, Mohammed played a key role in the business and administrative leadership of the magazine during its formative years, helping to sustain its operations while it pushed the boundaries of press freedom in the country.
His death marks another major loss for the founding generation of Newswatch, following the earlier deaths of Dele Giwa and Dan Agbese. Colleagues and media observers have described Mohammed as a committed media professional whose contributions helped shape modern Nigerian journalism.
With his passing, Nigeria’s media industry loses another pioneer whose work left a lasting imprint on investigative reporting and the struggle for a free and independent press.