Voice of Nigeria (VON) has strengthened its commitment to shaping Africa’s narrative by forging deeper media ties with Ethiopia, as Director General Mr Jibrin Baba Ndace led a high-level delegation to the Ethiopian Embassy in Abuja.
The visit reflects VON’s mandate to project a positive image of Nigeria and Africa to the world, highlighting stories of unity, progress, and innovation in line with its mission of promoting mutual understanding through credible news.
Welcoming the delegation, Mr Ndace stressed the central role of the media as a bridge in strengthening bilateral relations. He reaffirmed VON’s commitment to showcasing Africa’s development stories on the global stage.
“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,” Mr Ndace declared.
He expressed VON’s readiness to partner with Ethiopian media institutions in areas such as content exchange, capacity building, and cultural promotion. Citing a successful media exchange programme with Tanzania, where a Tanzanian journalist worked with VON for six months, Mr Ndace highlighted the immense value of such initiatives in fostering mutual learning and collaboration. Emphasising the growing influence of digital platforms, he called for greater collaboration in real-time news dissemination.
“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 developments in Nigeria and Nigerians understand Ethiopia’s progress—fostering a stronger, more united Africa.”Ndace stated.
In his remarks, the Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Legesse Geremew Halie, lauded the visit and welcomed the prospect of closer cooperation between VON and the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC). He underscored the power of media in building bridges between nations.
“The media has the power to unite our peoples,” Ambassador Legesse said. “The proposed collaboration between VON and EBC is not only timely but essential for strengthening cultural understanding, development priorities, and people-to-people relations.”
The Ambassador added a personal touch by sharing Ethiopia’s cultural pride in producing some of the world’s best coffee, which was served during the visit. He further highlighted Ethiopia’s strides in regional development and innovation, notably the landmark Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), standing 145 metres high with a capacity of 6,450 megawatts, has been hailed as Africa’s largest hydroelectric power plant and a symbol of resilience, independence and sustainable development.
Ambassador Legesse highlighted the dam’s transformative impact on Ethiopia’s economy and energy future, while VON’s Director General, Mr Jibrin Baba Ndace, applauded it as a powerful example of African success stories worth sharing with the world.
The meeting between VON and the Ethiopian Embassy concluded with a commitment to formalise media partnerships with the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, focusing on content exchange, professional training and collaborative storytelling to strengthen Africa’s narrative on the global stage.