The Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, has reaffirmed the organisation’s dedication to prioritising Nigeria and Africa in its international broadcasting mandate.
Speaking at an interactive session with global media delegates during the 4th China Media Group (CMG) Forum in the historic city of Qufu, Mallam Ndace outlined his vision for VON, grounded in three strategic pillars: People, Platform, and Partnership, collectively known as the “3Ps”. These pillars, he explained, underpin the organisation’s approach to staff engagement, policy formulation, and the fulfilment of its mandate.
Voice of Nigeria’s Global Role
Established by law, VON serves as Nigeria’s official international broadcasting service. Its mission is to project Nigeria’s voice, values, and culture, alongside broader African perspectives—to global audiences.
Broadcasting from its Abuja headquarters, VON delivers credible news, development-driven content, and culturally rich programming to audiences across Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East. These efforts, Mallam Ndace noted, foster global understanding and promote collaborative solutions.
This year’s CMG Forum, themed “Exchange, Mutual Learning, Technology Empowerment – The Power of Civilisation in Transformation and Development”, brought together more than 400 participants from 60 countries and global institutions. Discussions centred on the role of digital innovation in enhancing cross-cultural communication and shared learning.
Renewed Vision and Strategic Commitments
Highlighting the transformative agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mallam Ndace described a renewed commitment to repositioning VON as a globally competitive broadcaster. Key initiatives under this agenda include:
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Upgrading transmission infrastructure
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Embracing digital broadcasting technologies
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Establishing strategic content partnerships
He credited the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, for championing innovation, competitiveness, and professionalism in Nigeria’s public broadcasting sector.
“This marks a new era for VON—anchored in technological advancement, content excellence, and international collaboration,” he stated.
Expanding Language Reach and Global Collaboration
Currently, VON broadcasts in eight languages: English, French, Arabic, Swahili, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Fulfulde. Plans are underway, in collaboration with China Media Group, to introduce Mandarin Chinese as an additional broadcast language, an initiative seen as both symbolic and strategic.
“Language is vital for mutual understanding,” Mallam Ndace said, adding that Africa–China relations must be founded on respectful communication and meaningful cultural exchange.
Reclaiming Africa’s Media Narrative
Ndace stressed that VON is not just a news outlet but a curator of stories told through the African lens. In an era where narratives influence diplomacy, policy, and global perception, VON’s mission, he said, is to ensure Africa is “Seen, heard, and understood on its own terms.”
He also revealed a deepening partnership with China Media Group, which will include:
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Joint content production to counter stereotypical portrayals of Africa and Asia
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Journalist exchange programmes and capacity-building media training
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Co-broadcasting on issues such as climate change, education, youth innovation, culture, health, and security
The goal, he stated, is to strengthen the voice of the Global South in international discourse.
Embracing the Future of Broadcasting
In line with the forum’s focus on technological advancement, Ndace affirmed VON’s commitment to digital transformation. This includes investing in AI-powered newsrooms and expanding online radio platforms tailored to younger, tech-savvy audiences.
He concluded by describing the collaboration between VON and China Media Group as a model for cross-cultural partnership, where communication, culture, and technology converge to serve humanity.
