Two Years of Purposeful Leadership at the Voice of Nigeria
How Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace is repositioning Nigeria’s international broadcaster for excellence, innovation, and global relevance.
When Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace assumed office as the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) on October 19, 2023, he brought with him a clear vision: to rebuild, reform, and reposition Nigeria’s foremost international broadcaster into a modern, globally competitive institution that tells Africa’s story with truth and pride.
Two years later, that vision is fast becoming a reality.
Repositioning VON for National Pride and Global Impact
Speaking on the milestone, Mallam Ndace said the past 24 months have been guided by a simple but profound mission — “to fix the Voice of Nigeria for prosperity and progress.”
His leadership blueprint, anchored on the 3Ps Strategy — People, Platform, and Partnership, is steadily transforming VON into a world-class broadcaster that reflects Nigeria’s diversity, dynamism, and global aspirations.
“Our goal has always been to position VON as a bridge between Africa and the world — telling Nigeria’s story in more voices, to a wider audience,”
Ndace affirmed.
Restoring Global Broadcasting Presence
One of the most significant milestones under his tenure is the restoration of the 250KW Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) transmitter, a project that had been dormant for years.
With this restoration, Nigeria is set to reclaim its space in the global shortwave broadcasting landscape, ensuring that the Voice of Nigeria once again reaches millions of listeners across Africa and beyond.
The initiative, backed by the unwavering support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, fnipr, marks a strategic step toward expanding Nigeria’s international media footprint.
Expanding Reach and Multilingual Broadcasting
Beyond technical revival, Ndace has prioritized international collaborations and the expansion of language services.
Under his watch, VON has opened discussions to introduce Mandarin-language programming, a bold move to deepen Nigeria’s communication with the global community — particularly Asia.
This aligns with his broader goal of positioning VON as “a global conversation partner” that amplifies African voices across linguistic and cultural borders.
Institutional Reforms and Workforce Development
Recognizing that transformation begins with people, the VON boss launched a comprehensive reform programme aimed at improving staff welfare, productivity, and professionalism.
For the first time in over a decade, VON held a Management Retreat, where directors signed performance bonds to ensure accountability and measurable progress.
Training initiatives were also introduced in Artificial Intelligence, corporate risk management, and digital content innovation — ensuring that the workforce is equipped for modern broadcasting demands.
Importantly, Ndace has sustained the 13th-month salary policy as a morale booster, reaffirming his belief that “our people remain our greatest asset.”
Thought Leadership and Brand Visibility
To further elevate public engagement and institutional visibility, VON launched the VON Forum — a platform that fosters national dialogue on strategic issues in governance, communication, and nation-building.
This initiative, along with other media engagement efforts, has repositioned the Voice of Nigeria as a thought leader in Africa’s public communication space, rather than a mere broadcaster.
Partnerships, Discipline, and Team Spirit
Mallam Ndace’s leadership has also strengthened relationships with security agencies, sister parastatals, embassies, and professional bodies including RATTAWU, NUJ, SSANU, NIPR, and NGE, ensuring a broad coalition of support for institutional development.
He regularly attributes the organization’s successes to the dedicated management and staff of VON, who have embraced reform with discipline and shared purpose.
“I remain grateful to the management and staff of VON who have shown resilience, professionalism, and unity of purpose. Your commitment is the foundation of our achievements,”
he said.
A Vision Anchored on the Future
Two years into his tenure, the transformation journey at the Voice of Nigeria is still unfolding — but the results are visible.
From infrastructure revival to digital innovation, from staff development to international collaborations, Ndace’s leadership has rekindled confidence in VON’s mandate as Nigeria’s global voice for truth and progress.
“We are here to fix the Voice of Nigeria,” Ndace reaffirmed.
“We will continue to strengthen our foundation, deepen reforms, expand partnerships, and invest in our people — all in pursuit of the national interest.”
A Renewed Voice for a Renewed Nation
As VON celebrates two years of purposeful leadership under Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, the broadcaster’s renewed momentum symbolizes more than institutional reform — it represents a rebirth of Nigeria’s global narrative.
With his steady hands on the helm, the Voice of Nigeria is not only reclaiming its past glory but charting a bold new future — where Africa speaks, and the world listens.
🖋️ Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, mnipr
Director General / CEO, Voice of Nigeria
📅 October 19, 2025
#ThinkVON