VON DG Urges PRNigeria Fellows to Promote Responsible Journalism, Positive National Narrative
The Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, has urged young media and communication professionals to deploy the power of the media responsibly, warning that persistent negative narratives about Nigeria could undermine the country’s image, investment prospects and economic interests.
Ndace gave the charge on Wednesday while receiving the 10-member Abuja cohort of the 2026 PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship (PYCF) at the headquarters of the country’s external broadcasting service in Abuja.
Addressing the fellows, the VON Director-General underscored the importance of mentorship in shaping successful careers, drawing from his personal experience and the guidance he received from senior professionals throughout his journey.
He encouraged the participants to remain open to learning from experienced practitioners, stressing that mentorship should be a continuous cycle in which beneficiaries also become mentors to younger professionals.
According to him, true professional success should not be measured solely by individual accomplishments but by the number of lives positively influenced along the way.
Ndace also challenged the young communicators to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and responsibility, particularly in their use of digital and social media platforms.
He cautioned against the growing tendency among some Nigerians to amplify negative narratives about the country online, noting that such content often fuels damaging perceptions capable of discouraging investment, tourism and national development.
The VON boss urged journalists, public relations practitioners and content creators to report objectively while remaining conscious of the broader implications of the narratives they project about the country.
He observed that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, digital platforms and user-generated content has made it increasingly important for communication professionals to distinguish verified information from misinformation, disinformation and emotionally driven narratives.
Ndace commended the organisers of the PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship for investing in the development of the next generation of media and communication professionals and urged the fellows to maximise the opportunities provided by the programme.
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He described the initiative as a valuable platform for bridging the gap between classroom learning and professional practice while nurturing ethical, competent and innovative communicators.
The visit formed part of the fellowship’s experiential learning programme, exposing participants to the operations of Nigeria’s foremost international broadcasting organisation and providing firsthand insights into the responsibilities associated with shaping national and global narratives.
The engagement also reinforced the importance of using the media not only to report events but also to project balanced, accurate and constructive narratives that enhance Nigeria’s image at home and abroad.
For the fellows, the interaction highlighted the need to ensure that speed, technology and online visibility never come at the expense of accuracy, ethics, objectivity and responsible journalism.
Also present during the visit were VON’s Head of Digital Media, Dr. Qasim Akinreti, and the Director-General’s Technical Assistant, Abdul Mohammed Isa, who interacted with the fellows on contemporary broadcasting, digital communication and the evolving media landscape.
The delegation was led by the Head of Innovation and Special Projects at PRNigeria, Mohammed Dahiru Lawal, while the Assistant Editor of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, Zekeri Idakwo Laruba, also accompanied the participants.
Organised by Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria, Economic Confidential and Spokespersons Digest, the PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship is now in its third edition.
Launched in 2024, the fully funded two-week residential programme is designed to prepare young Nigerians for careers in journalism, public relations, strategic communication, fact-checking and digital media through intensive training, newsroom mentorship and institutional field visits.
The fellowship admits 30 participants annually—10 each from Abuja, Ilorin and Kano—for practical training in news writing, multimedia storytelling, crisis communication, public speaking, media law, artificial intelligence in journalism and reputation management.
The 2026 edition attracted 691 applications for just 30 available slots, further consolidating its reputation as one of Nigeria’s most competitive youth communication development programmes.
The fellowship is endorsed by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), with many of its alumni now serving as journalists, editors, communication officers and media aides across the country.
By PRNigeria
