The establishment of Voice of Nigeria, VON, under Decree 15 of 1991, as the sole radio broadcaster with the exclusive right to international radio broadcasting, is not in doubt.
This was through terrestrial broadcasting via shortwave transmitters for a wider reach to the rest of the world. Over the years, this mandate remained Africa’s authoritative strong voice from the continent to the rest of the world.
With the advent of new media, there was therefore a need for the escalation of operations to include the phase of the novel mass communication order by seeking a higher upgrade of its technology.
This led to the transition from analogue to digital shortwave broadcasting by installing a super-power Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) transmitter equipped with a 3NO, 250-kilowatt digital capacity transmitter in 2012 and commissioned for operation in 2013.
This state-of-the-art rotatable antenna, which is the first in sub-Saharan Africa, has the capability of targeting the global audience via the shortwave band.
The rehabilitation of the DRM transmitter on August 26, 2025, under the VON leadership of Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, is his commitment to the organisation’s vision in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. This is to provide clear digital signals in VON’s global broadcasting.
The impact of Mallam Ndace’s administration since his appointment as the Director General of VON on October 19, 2023, has strategically brought about transformational changes to the corporation in diverse ways.
VON is on a steady path of renewal through reform, innovation, and a restored sense of mission.
The station is reconnecting with its founding philosophy: that Nigeria must be heard clearly, with dignity and authority, in the global conversation.
By restoring and modernising the 250 kW TX2 transmitter, the most powerful shortwave transmission station in Africa, Nigeria has taken a historic leap into the future of broadcasting.
The world will no longer hear Nigeria’s voice drowned in static or distortion. Instead, it will carry the sharp clarity of FM, the reliability of digital sound, and the versatility to transmit not just audio, but also text, images, and data.
In less than two years, under the leadership of Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, the station is witnessing a revival that goes beyond routine administration. Programming has been diversified to blend international standards with authentic Nigerian voices.
Plans are already in place to increase international language broadcasts in addition to the current eight languages on VON’s stable.
Staff morale has been lifted through recognition, retraining, partnerships and various MOUs that have been signed for sustained momentum.
This is what leadership does when it is powered by vision; it does not merely manage decline, it redefines possibility. It refuses to be held hostage by budgets or bureaucracy, instead galvanising people and resources around a larger purpose.
The technology transmits data alongside sound. That means headlines, weather forecasts, images, and even educational materials can ride the same frequency. During national emergencies, it can override idle receivers to deliver alerts, a vital tool for security and disaster response.
For rural communities beyond the reach of the internet, it can beam textbooks to schools, health updates to clinics, and market prices to farmers. And all this comes with efficiency, cutting costs through energy savings and flexible, software-driven upgrades.
Technology matters, yes, but people remain the soul of every institution. By training and retraining, the welfare of staff as a motivating workforce would be complementary to the technological drive in its operations.
That way, staff will carry the institution’s mission with pride.
A reinvigorated VON ensures that Nigeria speaks for itself, correcting distortions, amplifying African solidarity, and offering perspectives rooted in its own lived realities. In this way, broadcasting becomes diplomacy, defence, and dignity all at once.
The rehabilitation of the superpower transmitters is for Nigeria to find its voice in a noisy world and ensure that when it speaks, it does so with quality, clarity, and purpose. It is about showing that our stories matter, that they deserve to be told well, and that the world cannot afford to ignore them.
The new dispensation in VON is to continue to maintain the strong and authoritative voice from Africa to the rest of the world, as envisaged by our founding fathers.