Inside VON, Where Technology, Diplomacy and Storytelling Converge
By Muhammad Goni
There is something quietly powerful about walking through the soundproof doors of a broadcasting facility whose signals are designed to travel far beyond Nigeria’s borders. Behind the microphones, studios, transmitters and antennas of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) lies a responsibility far larger than daily news bulletins. VON is one of the institutions through which Nigeria speaks to the world—an instrument of national identity, diplomacy, culture and global relevance.
My tour of VON’s facilities in Abuja revealed this clearly. It was more than a visit; it was an education in how international broadcasting works, why it matters and what it means for a country seeking to shape how it is understood.
A Broadcaster With a Diplomatic Mandate
Established in 1961 as Nigeria’s external broadcasting service, VON was created to project Nigeria and Africa to international audiences. Six decades later, that mandate has become even more important. In today’s digital world, countries compete not only for markets and diplomatic influence but also for attention and narrative. Who tells a country’s story matters almost as much as the story itself.
Under the leadership of Director‑General Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace, VON is navigating the difficult task of maintaining its traditional broadcasting strength while adapting to a media environment shaped by websites, mobile devices, social media and on‑demand content.
Where Nigeria Speaks in Many Voices
One of VON’s most striking features is its multilingual character. Nigeria is one of the world’s most linguistically diverse countries, and VON reflects that richness. Its language services include English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Fulfulde, French, Arabic and Kiswahili, with ongoing efforts to expand into Mandarin.
This multilingual approach is not mere translation. Language carries culture, identity and history. Broadcasting Nigeria’s stories in different languages allows the country to speak to diverse communities across Africa, the Middle East and beyond.
French strengthens communication with Francophone neighbours. Arabic opens a window to North Africa and parts of the Middle East. Kiswahili connects Nigeria with East and Central Africa. Indigenous languages ensure that Nigeria’s international voice remains rooted in the cultures from which it originates.
From Wuse to Lugbe: The Brain and the Muscle of Broadcasting
Our tour began at VON’s corporate headquarters in Wuse 2—the administrative and editorial nerve centre where journalists, editors and producers transform events into content for global audiences. But the most memorable part of the visit came when we moved to VON’s transmitting facility in Lugbe.
If the headquarters is the brain, Lugbe is the muscle.
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Here, broadcasting becomes engineering. Massive transmitters, high‑frequency equipment and a rotating shortwave antenna system reveal the technological infrastructure required to send Nigerian voices across continents. For a generation accustomed to streaming audio on smartphones, it is easy to underestimate the complexity—and continuing relevance—of terrestrial broadcasting.
The Lugbe facility proves otherwise.
Shortwave radio still matters. The internet may dominate global communication, but access remains unequal. Millions across Africa and other regions live in areas where connectivity is unreliable, expensive or unavailable. During crises, digital infrastructure can be disrupted. Shortwave radio, however, offers extraordinary reach without requiring broadband access. A simple radio receiver can connect a remote listener to information originating thousands of kilometres away.
The future is not radio or digital—it is radio and digital.
Broadcasting as Soft Power
Walking through VON’s facilities made me reflect on the relationship between broadcasting and national diplomacy. International broadcasters are instruments of soft power—the ability of countries to influence perceptions through culture, information and ideas rather than coercion.
Nigeria needs that capacity.
Too often, African countries encounter themselves in international media mainly through stories of insecurity, corruption, conflict or poverty. These realities must be reported honestly, but they do not define the entirety of African life. There are stories of innovation, scholarship, entrepreneurship, diplomacy, entertainment and ordinary people solving extraordinary problems.
The answer to negative narratives is not propaganda. It is credible storytelling.
For VON to succeed as Nigeria’s international voice, it must remain believable. International audiences will not trust a broadcaster that avoids difficult realities or exaggerates national achievements. Credibility requires balance—acknowledging challenges while ensuring they do not become the only stories through which Nigeria is understood.
The Global Competition for Narrative
In the digital age, the competition over Nigeria’s image has intensified. Anyone with a smartphone can publish a narrative about Nigeria. Foreign broadcasters can frame Nigerian events for their audiences. Social media algorithms can push misinformation across borders within minutes.
Nigeria therefore needs institutions capable of telling its stories with professionalism, context and authenticity. VON is one of those institutions.
The Real Responsibility Behind the Microphone
By the time I stepped away from the studios and transmitting infrastructure, VON no longer appeared to me simply as another government media organisation. I saw the connection between the journalist behind the microphone, the engineer maintaining the transmitter, the language service translating a story and the antenna directing that message beyond Nigeria.
Together, they form part of the infrastructure through which a nation speaks.
The most important lesson from my tour is not about the size of a transmitter or the reach of an antenna. It is about the power of owning a credible voice. Technology determines how far that voice travels. Professionalism, accuracy and trust determine whether anyone listens when it arrives.
That is the real responsibility behind the microphone.
Muhammad Goni is a PRNigeria Fellow and can be reached at [email protected].
