The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced a strategic partnership with the Voice of Nigeria (VON) aimed at increasing the global visibility of Nigeria’s education sector through innovative media collaboration.
This announcement was made by TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono, during a meeting with a delegation from VON, led by Director-General Jibrin Baba Ndace, at the Fund’s headquarters in Abuja.
Echono expressed that TETFund aims to harness VON’s extensive broadcast reach to better showcase its projects and contributions to tertiary education across Nigeria and beyond. He highlighted that public understanding and appreciation of TETFund’s initiatives have significantly grown due to visible interventions in institutions nationwide.
He further noted that broader media engagement would enhance transparency and public awareness regarding TETFund’s efforts. “We are embarking on extensive project commissioning nationwide and require effective media coverage to ensure that all Nigerians, especially those in rural communities who rely heavily on radio, are adequately informed,” Echono stated.
Emphasizing the importance of content co-creation and sustained collaboration, Echono directed the Fund’s Public Affairs Department to work closely with VON to establish a functional framework for continuous engagement. Additionally, he commended VON’s multilingual broadcasting capacity, recognizing it as a strategic asset for reaching diverse audiences both within Nigeria and globally.
On his part, the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Jibrin Baba Ndace, emphasized that TETFund’s interventions are crucial for the survival and development of tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Ndace praised the leadership and reforms implemented by TETFund Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono, and pledged VON’s commitment to amplifying TETFund’s activities on a global scale.
He noted that VON, Nigeria’s external broadcast service, operates in eight languages, including English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Fulfulde, French, Arabic, and Swahili. The organization is actively seeking to enhance collaborations aimed at projecting Nigeria’s image worldwide.
Additionally, Ndace shared that VON is repositioning its operations by strengthening its zonal offices across the country and diversifying content to encompass culture, tourism, and developmental storytelling, alongside government policies.
Stressing the importance of Nigeria owning its narrative, he pointed out that positive national developments are frequently overshadowed by negative portrayals in foreign media. To further this initiative, Ndace proposed a structured collaboration that would enable VON’s nationwide reporters to cover TETFund activities, translate content into multiple languages, and assist in capacity building for communication teams within tertiary institutions.
Furthermore, he revealed ongoing efforts to reactivate VON’s high-capacity rotating antenna transmitter, which will facilitate clearer broadcasts of Nigerian content across Africa, Europe, and beyond.
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