It was established in October 2004 by Sam Nda-Isaiah, a pharmacist cum businessman and politician, and is published by Leadership Newspaper Group based in Abuja, Nigeria.

On 9 January 2007 a dozen State Security Service agents stormed the Leadership offices and arrested general manager Abraham Nda-Isaiah, editor Bashir Bello Akko and journalist Abdulazeez Sanni.

[3] On 6 May 2008 a squad of armed, plain-clothed policemen from the Niger State Command raided the Leadership head office and arrested the deputy editor, Danladi Ndayebo, apparently without any warrant.

According to a staff writer, Prince Charles Dickson, the cause was a feature article said to have defamed the character of Senator Isa Mohammed.

After being threatened with legal action by the New English Review's editor, the Leadership issued a corrected byline and an apology for the plagiarism ten days later, on 26 July 2013.