Economy
Reactions: Tinubu Administration — Many Spokespersons, Zero Communication
Reactions: Tinubu Administration — Many Spokespersons, Zero Communication
Reactions: Tinubu administration — many spokespersons, zero communication.
BY VICTOR OKEBUNMI
“He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool – shun him.” – Arabian Proverb.
There are times when commentaries masquerade as journalism and, in so doing, reveal more about the writer’s blind spots than the subject under scrutiny.
Temidayo Akinsuyi’s recent article questioning the communication strategy of the Tinubu presidency falls squarely into this category.
His claim that the Government operates with “zero communication” is not just inaccurate; it is demonstrably false and unfairly dismissive, suggesting a shallow understanding of how modern governance engages its citizens.
To allege a vacuum in presidential communication while ignoring the daily, coordinated, and well-articulated efforts of key figures within the Tinubu media architecture is to walk into a symphony midway and dismiss it as noise. The reality is this: The Tinubu administration runs one of the most structured, decentralised, and multidimensional communications networks Nigeria has seen in the Fourth Republic.
Let’s begin with the professionals Akinsuyi chose to undermine by implication. Chief Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, is a pillar of Nigeria’s democratic media landscape. A respected veteran, he operates more as a strategist than a spokesman.
He is the steady hand behind the curtain – refining messages, maintaining coherence, and providing intellectual rigour to presidential narratives. His value is not in the frequency of public appearances but in the strategic alignment, he brings to government messaging.
Dr Sunday Dare, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication / Spokesman, is a strategic communicator. Apart from over 3 decades of media experience, he brings charisma and clarity to the public square.
His data-driven engagements on national television, policy explainers, and press briefings have helped distil complex government decisions into digestible, actionable insights. His diverse media Background, especially in Hausa Radio Broadcasting, having headed the Hausa Service of the Voice of America for almost a decade, is a significant asset being put to use.
He is also cut from the democratic struggle as General Editor of The News and Tempo magazines during the dark days of the military. His recent international engagements have also positioned Nigeria as a nation ready for investment, reform, and renewed leadership on the world stage.
Akinsuyi’s fixation on the idea that multiple voices signify chaos betrays a dated understanding of statecraft. We no longer live in the age of the town crier.
Communication must be decentralised, diverse, and digitally agile in a nation of over 200 million people across 36 states and the Diaspora. From Abdul Aziz Abdul Aziz to Tunde Rahman, Stanley Nkwocha, Tope Ajayi, Fredrick Nwabufo, Demola Oshodi, Daniel Bwala and O’tega Ogra, the Tinubu presidency has assembled a formidable team of seasoned communicators who work across platforms and communities to drive a singular message of national renewal.
Take, for instance, the opinion pieces written on major government policies, decisions and initiatives by Bayo Onanuga, Sunday Dare, Tunde Rahman, Tope Ajayi, Abdul Aziz Abdul Aziz, Fredrick, Segun Dada, Daniel Bwala, Tope Fasua and others. In the last 4 months, over 30 such articles have been published in the media, helping to deepen people’s understanding of TINUBU’S policies.
We have seen them engaging and explaining on multiple television platforms, especially Sunday Dare, Bayo Onanuga and Tope Fasua. Indeed, the Tinubu presidency has assembled a formidable team of seasoned communicators who work across platforms and communities to drive a singular message of national renewal.
The suggestion that these individuals are working at cross-purposes does not hold water. What Akinsuyi misreads as “disarray” is, in fact, a deliberate strategy of layered engagement. Each voice has a purpose: some clarify, some explain, some connect emotionally, and others rally politically. But they all sing from the same hymnal: the hymn of Renewed Hope.
One particularly impactful addition to the administration’s communication strategy is the Renewed Hope Global Virtual Town Hall Conference, which has been held weekly since the inception of the Tinubu administration and broadcast live across multiple platforms.
These sessions have proven to be a vital bridge between policymakers and citizens at home and abroad, offering unfiltered access, real-time dialogue, and direct explanations from Media advisers, ministers, heads of Government agencies, and government officials on ongoing reforms. It is participatory governance in action and reflects a leadership style that values transparency, digital inclusion, and constant feedback.
In the last nine months alone, the presidential communications team has executed one of the most expansive public engagement campaigns in our democratic history.
There has been constant information, from daily television and radio appearances to opinion essays, presidential addresses, infographic explainers, and town hall-style digital broadcasts.
The team has been involved in several interviews and policy briefings alongside colleagues across MDAs and the presidency, dissecting reforms and updating citizens.
Beyond the elite PBAT media circuit led by amiable Olusegun Dada, there is Community Radio 185, a bold initiative that provides daily updates on government policy in native languages – English, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Fulani, Tiv, Kanuri and more.
This is a game-changing project that ensures inclusivity and accessibility, reaching the grassroots with the very same dignity afforded to the urban elite.
Online, the team’s digital assets are live and leading the charge in combating fake news, misinformation, and propaganda. The presidency’s WhatsApp Channel, social media handles, livestream events, and short-form videos target Gen Z and millennials with clarity and precision.
Today’s presidential message is not confined to a single press release – it is spread across memes, graphics, podcasts, and multilingual tweet threads. The Government’s media engagements have become more robust and dynamic, with the Presidential Media Team always ready to provide information and explanations.
It is also necessary to reiterate that good communication cannot save bad policy, but clear communication can explain bold policy, which is precisely what this administration has had to do amid tough reforms.
Subsidy removal, forex unification, student loans, agricultural interventions, tax policy reforms – each initiative has come with coordinated messaging across multiple levels, involving ministers, media aides, and institutional heads.
In denigrating the efforts of the members of the President’s communication team, Akinsuyi misses a more interesting story: this is the first administration in years to decentralise media engagement with this level of sophistication. What he calls “noise” is, in fact, a signal – each element reaching a different demographic, platform, and audience.
Tinubu
The analogue one-size-fits-all model of communication is gone. Nigeria deserves better, and she is getting it. Akinsuyi is probably deaf to all of this. He has embarked on a journey that is already ill-fated.
Criticism is essential in any democracy but must be rooted in truth, not nostalgia. Akinsuyi’s piece reads less like analysis and more like frustration at a structure he neither understands nor respects. It is easy to sneer at what one does not comprehend, but true observers should ask harder questions, not just louder ones.
The Tinubu presidency remains committed to dialogue, feedback, and clarity. They may not always speak in one voice, but they always speak in one direction: toward progress, inclusion, and shared prosperity.
The symphony continues with tempo, harmony, and purpose.
Okebunmi is the senior special assistant to the director of publicity at Renewed Hope United Kingdom.
Eid-el-Fitr: NRC Sets To Run Three Lagos–Ibadan Train Trips Monday
Eid-el-Fitr: NRC sets to run three Lagos–Ibadan train trips Monday. He assured passengers of NRC’s continued commitment to safe, reliable, and efficient rail services.
This was contained in a statement issued on Friday in Lagos by NRC chief public relations officer, Callistus Unyimadu.
He said the additional trip was in response to high passenger turnout during the Eid-el-Fitr travel period.
“The extra trip is aimed at easing passenger movement and providing more travel options for commuters returning after the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.
“Under the schedule, departures from Lagos (Mobolaji Johnson Station, Ebute Metta) will be at 7.45 a.m., 1.40 p.m., and 4.00 p.m.
“From Ibadan (Obafemi Awolowo Station, Moniya), trains will depart at 8.00 a.m., 10.50 a.m., and 4.30 p.m.,” he said.
Mr Unyimadu assured passengers of NRC’s continued commitment to safe, reliable, and efficient rail services.
NRC Sets To Run Three Lagos–Ibadan Train Trips Monday
He advised travellers to arrive early, comply with ticketing and security procedures, and plan their journeys.
“The corporation appreciates the continued patronage of its services and wishes all passengers a safe and pleasant journey,” he added.
UBA, BII Sign Letter Of Intent To Explore Trade Finance Collaboration Across Africa
United Bank for Africa (UK) Limited (“UBA UK”) and British International Investment plc (“BII”), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, announced that they have signed a letter of intent to develop trade finance collaboration opportunities.
The proposed initiative aims to expand access to trade and working capital facilities for businesses operating across Africa.
Access to trade finance remains one of the most significant structural constraints on African trade. Businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, are frequently unable to secure letters of credit, guarantees, and supply chain finance on commercially viable terms, limiting their capacity to export and import competitively. This trade finance gap is estimated by the African Development Bank to be over USD 80 billion annually.
To help close this gap, UBA UK, the London subsidiary of UBA Group, Africa’s Global Bank, will leverage its deep relationships across the Group’s 20-country African network to originate and structure trade finance transactions. While BII, with a mandate to support productive, sustainable, and inclusive growth across Africa, can support transactions that might otherwise fall outside conventional commercial appetite.
“The signing of this letter with BII represents a landmark moment for UBA UK and for the UBA Group’s global ambitions. As the Group’s hub for Trade Operations, UBA UK is uniquely positioned to connect African businesses with the international financial system. Working alongside BII, we can extend that capability further — mobilising capital where it matters most and helping to close the trade finance gap that holds back so much African potential,” said Lok Mishra, Chief Executive Officer, UBA UK
“British International Investment is committed to catalysing private sector growth across Africa, and trade finance is a critical enabler of that growth. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with UBA Group, whose pan-African network and deep institutional relationships can help advance our ambition to expand access to trade and working capital finance, particularly in frontier markets,” Chris Chijiuitomi, Managing Director and Head of Africa
The announcement builds on growing momentum around intra-African trade facilitated by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which entered into force in 2021 and represents one of the world’s most significant trade integration initiatives. Both institutions have identified the operationalisation of AfCFTA as a priority catalyst for a trade finance facility, with UBA UK’s network across major AfCFTA economies offering a basis for supporting businesses navigating the emerging continental market.
This also complements the UK Government’s broader engagement with African economic development, including commitments made at the UK-Africa Investment Summit, and reinforces the City of London’s role as a leading international finance centre for Africa-focused capital mobilisation.
Future cooperation remains subject to further assessment, due diligence and the completion of internal approvals by both parties.
ABOUT UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA (UK) LIMITED
UBA UK is the London-based subsidiary of United Bank for Africa Plc, one of Africa’s leading financial institutions with operations across 20 African countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, and the United Arab Emirates. UBA UK serves as the Group’s hub for Trade Operations, providing a comprehensive suite of trade finance, treasury, and correspondent banking services to institutional and corporate clients worldwide.
UBA
ABOUT UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA GROUP
United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group-wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge technology.
ABOUT BRITISH INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT
British International Investment is the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor. The organisation invests in businesses in developing countries to improve people’s lives and help protect the planet. BII’s work targets the underlying causes of poverty and the climate crisis, helping countries break free from aid dependency for good.
Between 2022-2026, at least 30 per cent of BII’s total new commitments by value will be in climate finance. BII is also a founding member of the 2X Challenge which has raised over $33.6 billion to empower women’s economic development.
The company has investments in over 1,600 businesses across 66 countries and total net assets of £9.87 billion. For more information, visit: www.bii.co.uk | watch here. Follow British International Investment on LinkedIn, Bluesky and X.
Eid-el-Fitr: President Tinubu Felicitates Muslims, Urges Renewed Unity, Patriotism
Eid-el-Fitr: President Tinubu felicitates Muslims, urges renewed unity, patriotism. Mr Tinubu called on Muslims to reflect on the spiritual lessons of Ramadan.
The president urged them to renew commitment to national unity, peaceful coexistence, and service to humanity as they celebrate the festival across the country on Friday.
This is contained in a statement issued by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday in Abuja.
Mr Tinubu called on Muslims to reflect on the spiritual lessons of Ramadan, noting that the holy month teaches discipline, sacrifice, compassion, and devotion to God and humanity.
He said: “We have a lot to draw from the noble lessons of Ramadan, especially at a time like this.
“We must continue to abide by the virtues of piety, selflessness, perseverance, kindness and compassion beyond this period.”
The president emphasised the need for Nigerians to remain united across religious and ethnic lines, stressing that national cohesion remains vital for sustainable peace and development.
He urged Muslims to extend acts of kindness and charity to the less privileged, irrespective of religious or ethnic background, in line with the enduring values of Islam.
Mr Tinubu noted that such gestures would strengthen social bonds, promote inclusiveness, and reinforce the spirit of brotherhood that defines the Nigerian society.
The president also called on religious leaders to use the occasion to offer prayers for peace, stability, and economic prosperity across the country.
Tinubu
He expressed optimism that with collective efforts, Nigeria would overcome its challenges and achieve lasting progress for the benefit of all citizens.
Mr Tinubu wished Muslims a joyous celebration, praying that the blessings of Ramadan would bring renewed hope, strength, and guidance to individuals, families, and the nation.
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