The first newspaper publication in Nigeria dates as far back as the 1840s when European missionaries designed leaflets to promote Christianity. Rev Henry Townsend created the first newspaper "Iwe Irohin Fun Awon Ara Egba Ati Yoruba" and published on November 23, 1859.

Majority of the topics covered were focused around the church and published every 15 days with a circulation of 3000 copies. Content included news of church activities; arrival and departure of religious dignitaries; ordinations, etc. Advertisements were introduced later into the publication.

The main objective of Iwe Iroyin is to popularize reading among Egba and Yoruba and to increase the habit of seeking information by reading. Also, the media was a powerful tool to distribute religious doctrine, fostering the outreach of the Christian religion at the time.

Due to cultural and political clashes that occurred between the Egbas and the British, which resulted in the expulsion of all Europeans in Egbaland, Nigeria's first-ever newspaper met with its end.

Iwe Irohin played a very significant role in the history of Nigerian newspapers, even though its lifespan was short-lived. It achieved its aims as the reading habit of the people developed, leading to the development of the printing press in Nigeria.