In 2019, the Nigerian Air Drive (NAF), the Central Financial institution of Nigeria (CBN), and the Niger State Authorities acquired the celebrated African Public Relations Awards for Superior Achievement in Branding, Repute, and Engagement (SABRE) on the annual African Public Relations Affiliation (APRA) convention in Kigali, Rwanda.
The award-winning campaigns had been executed in partnership with Picture Retailers Promotion Restricted (IMPR), the publishers of PRNigeria and Financial Confidential. Notably, Niger was the primary state in Nigeria to obtain a SABRE award, a testomony to the excellent efforts of Jibrin Baba Ndace, who was then the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sani Bello.
Upon his appointment, Ndace navigated a panorama fraught with safety data administration points, affected by an absence of synergy and inter-agency battle. In response, he based the Discussion board of Spokespersons of Crucial Establishments in Niger State (FOSCIN) in December 2017, facilitating month-to-month administration of crises equivalent to jailbreaks, pipeline explosions, and bridge collapses all through 2018.
FOSCIN inspired common communication and collaboration amongst safety businesses, crafting a coordinated method to disaster administration and using efficient public relations methods. The discussion board not solely ensured easy interactions between safety businesses and the media, but in addition tackled urgent safety challenges each statewide and nationally.
With over 20 years of expertise in journalism and public relations, Ndace is recognised as a public affairs commentator, media advisor, and advocate for youth and peace, significantly in combating violent extremism and hate speech on social media. He’s a distinguished struggle journalist and the primary Nigerian creator of a trilogy on the nation’s counter-insurgency efforts.
It was no shock to many when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Ndace because the Director Basic of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) on October 19, 2023, following his tenure as Minister of Data’s Particular Adviser. Based in 1961 because the Exterior Service of the Nigerian Broadcasting Company (NBC), VON broadcasts in a number of languages, reflecting Nigeria’s views.
Ndace, a Council Member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has not merely occupied the DG position, he has been showcasing the nation on numerous platforms and has urged VON to develop applications that foster nationwide unity and spotlight our various society. Prior to now yr, the information company has created content material that aligns with Nigeria’s international coverage and shapes its worldwide narrative.
I can attest that the strategic targets of VON are in tandem with the 5 Pillars of the Minister of Data and Nationwide Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi: increasing international attain, selling Nigerian tradition, supporting nationwide unity, enhancing international picture, and leveraging know-how whereas fostering strategic partnerships.
Ndace has cast partnerships with the Voice of America (VOA) and the U.S. Company for World Media (USAGM), alongside renewed collaboration with the Tanzania Broadcasting Company (TBC). This consists of an alternate program that trains VON’s Swahili reporters to enhance reporting in one in all Africa’s most spoken languages. The DG has additionally expanded cooperation with private and non-private organisations, considerably rising the company’s visibility.
Below Ndace’s management, VON has improved its transmission capabilities and bolstered its digital platforms. Whereas the station promotes Nigerian tradition by public engagements, Ndace propagates cultural variety by training and consciousness initiatives. He has been a visitor speaker at NIPR-sponsored and army/security-related occasions, amongst others, to advertise the idea of peaceable co-existence.
Ndace has prioritised common interactions with employees, together with interns and corps members, to spice up morale and productiveness. He has revitalised VON’s social media presence, attaining verification and elevating the station’s credibility for higher viewers engagement. At the moment, engineers are working to revive a transmitter that had been off-air for over seven years. This mission will revive a important part of the broadcasting infrastructure.
Moreover, Ndace has launched devoted program slots for presidency parastatals to showcase their actions, additional rising the company’s relevance amongst key stakeholders. He launched an revolutionary radio discuss present, “VON CEO’s Visitor”, which celebrates position fashions by spotlighting excellent Nigerians excelling in numerous fields.
Whereas these achievements to date are commendable, I like to recommend addressing different seeming challenges, equivalent to upgrading current transmitters and introducing new applications that sort out regional, nationwide and international points. Producing extra content material that resonates throughout Nigeria and the African continent can be essential.
Yushau Shuaib is the writer of PRNigeria & Spokesperson’s Digest; [email protected]
