Voice of Nigeria (VON) has reaffirmed its commitment to shaping Africa’s story by forging stronger media relations with Ethiopia. Director General, Mr Jibrin Baba Ndace, led a high-level delegation on a courtesy visit to the Ethiopian Embassy in Abuja.
The visit underscored VON’s mandate of projecting Nigeria and Africa positively to the world by highlighting stories of unity, innovation, and progress in line with its mission of fostering mutual understanding through credible news.
Welcoming the delegation, Mr Ndace stressed the central role of the media in building bridges and strengthening bilateral ties. He reiterated VON’s readiness to showcase Africa’s development stories globally.
“We are not just a national broadcaster; we are an African voice. Our responsibility is to project a positive image of Nigeria and Africa to the world,” he stated.
He further expressed VON’s willingness to partner with Ethiopian media organisations in content exchange, capacity building, and cultural promotion. Drawing on the success of a media exchange programme with Tanzania where a Tanzanian journalist worked with VON for six months he emphasised the value of such initiatives in fostering collaboration and mutual learning.
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Highlighting the impact of digital platforms, Mr Ndace called for greater cooperation in real-time news sharing:
“We are in the age of social media. Our cooperation must expand digital content and engage audiences effectively so that Ethiopians are well-informed about Nigeria’s progress, and Nigerians understand Ethiopia’s development fostering a stronger, more united Africa.”
In his remarks, the Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Legesse Geremew Halie, praised the visit and welcomed the prospect of closer cooperation between VON and the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC). He noted that media has the power to unite peoples and deepen cultural understanding.
“The proposed collaboration between VON and EBC is not only timely but essential for strengthening cultural ties, development priorities, and people-to-people relations,” Ambassador Legesse said.
The Ambassador also celebrated Ethiopia’s cultural heritage by serving its renowned coffee during the meeting and highlighted the nation’s strides in regional development and innovation, including the landmark Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Standing at 145 metres with a capacity of 6,450 megawatts, the GERD is recognised as Africa’s largest hydroelectric power plant and a symbol of resilience, independence, and sustainable growth.
Ambassador Legesse underscored the dam’s transformative impact on Ethiopia’s economy and energy future, while Mr Ndace commended it as a shining example of African achievements that deserve global recognition.
The meeting concluded with both parties pledging to formalise media partnerships with EBC, focusing on content exchange, professional training, and collaborative storytelling aimed at amplifying Africa’s narrative on the global stage.
