In 2019, three Nigerian institutions—the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Niger State government—were awarded the prestigious African Public Relations Awards for Superior Achievement in Branding, Reputation, and Engagement (SABRE) at the annual African Public Relations Association (APRA) conference in Kigali, Rwanda. These awards recognize exceptional PR campaigns marked by creativity, integrity, and effectiveness.
The award-winning campaigns were executed in collaboration with Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), the publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential. Notably, Niger State became the first in Nigeria to receive a SABRE award, a recognition attributed to the outstanding efforts of Jibrin Baba Ndace, who served as Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sani Bello at the time.
Upon his appointment, Ndace tackled significant challenges in security information management, characterized by a lack of synergy among agencies. He established the Forum of Spokespersons of Critical Institutions in Niger State (FOSCIN) in December 2017, which facilitated monthly crisis management discussions addressing issues such as jailbreaks and pipeline explosions throughout 2018.
Under Ndace’s leadership, FOSCIN fostered collaboration among security agencies and improved public relations strategies, ensuring smoother interactions with the media and effectively addressing statewide and national security challenges. The SABRE Award acknowledged FOSCIN’s success in enhancing communication and reducing inter-agency rivalry.
With over 20 years of experience in journalism and public relations, Ndace is recognized as a public affairs commentator and media consultant. His work focuses on youth advocacy and combating violent extremism and hate speech on social media. Notably, he is the first Nigerian author of a trilogy on the nation’s counter-insurgency efforts.
Following his tenure as Special Adviser to the Minister of Information, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Ndace as the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) on October 19, 2023. Founded in 1961 as the External Service of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), VON serves as a public service broadcaster in multiple languages, enhancing Nigeria’s global image.
Since his appointment, Ndace has not only taken on the responsibilities of Director General but has also become a prominent voice for Nigeria, advocating for programming that promotes national unity and accurately reflects the country’s diverse society. Under his leadership, VON has significantly improved its global image by creating content that aligns with Nigeria’s foreign policy and shapes its international narrative.