Samuel Ndanusa Isaiah (commonly known as Sam Nda-Isaiah) was a Nigerian political columnist, pharmacist, entrepreneur, and journalist. He was the founder and chairman of LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group, one of Nigeria’s prominent national dailies.
Nda-Isaiah was born in Minna, Niger State. He began his education at UNA Elementary School before transferring to Christ Church School, Kaduna, in 1968.
He later attended Federal Government College, Kaduna, from 1974 to 1979. He proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where he studied Pharmacy, and later undertook executive education at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.
He completed his compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 1984 at Ekiti General Hospital and Ekiti State Hospital. Afterward, he worked briefly as a pharmacist at Kano Specialist Hospital and General Hospital, Minna, before joining Pfizer Products Limited, where he worked from 1985 to 1989.
Nda-Isaiah transitioned into journalism and public commentary, beginning his columnist career with Daily Trust, where he also served on the editorial board. He later participated as a committee member in the Kano State Government’s effort to revive The Triumph, a state-owned newspaper. In 2001, he founded the LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group, which became a major platform for political and policy discourse in Nigeria.
Beyond journalism, Nda-Isaiah was deeply involved in politics and public policy. He headed Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential campaign publicity in 2003 and later aspired to the presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In the 2015 APC presidential primaries, he contested alongside notable politicians including Atiku Abubakar, Rochas Okorocha, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, but lost the party’s ticket to Buhari, who subsequently won the general election.
He also served internationally as a member of the Global Institute for Tomorrow, a Hong Kong–based Asian think tank. In 2019, he was appointed a board member of Baze University, Abuja.
Nda-Isaiah was a prolific entrepreneur with interests spanning multiple sectors, including media, pharmaceuticals, agribusiness, security services, telecommunications, e-payments, education, real estate, logistics, hospitality, biofuel, and technology. He was founder or chairman of numerous companies, including LEADERSHIP Holdings Ltd, LeadershipHQ Limited, Leadership House Ltd, 234Register.com Limited, and the LEADERSHIP Governance Index (LGi). He also chaired or served on the boards of several other companies in Nigeria and abroad, including interests in South Africa.
He was a director of MAP Plc, Maitama Club, Empire Securities Ltd, and the Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON). He also initiated the National Affordable Medicines Initiative (NAMI), a programme aimed at providing affordable, high-quality medicines to Nigerians, which received presidential approval and led to the establishment of a presidential implementation committee.
In recognition of his contributions, Nda-Isaiah held the traditional title Kakaki Nupe and was conferred the chieftaincy title “Aare Baaroyin of Akure Kingdom” by Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi (Odundun).
Sam Nda-Isaiah died on 11 December 2020 from complications related to COVID-19, leaving behind a legacy spanning journalism, business, and national public life.
