The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Voice of Nigeria (VON) have sealed a strategic partnership aimed at amplifying Nigeria’s education reforms and showcasing the country’s tertiary education interventions to a global audience.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, disclosed the collaboration when he received a delegation from VON led by its Director-General, Jibrin Baba Ndace, at the Fund’s headquarters in Abuja.
Echono said the partnership would enable TETFund to leverage VON’s extensive broadcast reach to project its projects and contributions across Nigeria and beyond.
He noted that public understanding and appreciation of TETFund’s interventions had grown significantly due to visible projects in institutions nationwide, adding that enhanced media engagement would deepen transparency and public awareness.
According to him, TETFund was embarking on extensive project commissioning across the country and requires effective media coverage to ensure Nigerians, especially those in rural communities who rely heavily on radio, are adequately informed.
He emphasised the need for content co-creation and sustained engagement, directing the Fund’s Public Affairs Department to work closely with VON to develop a functional framework for continuous collaboration.
Echono also commended VON’s multilingual broadcasting strength, describing it as a strategic asset in reaching diverse audiences within and outside Nigeria.
Earlier, the VON Director-General, Ndace, described TETFund’s interventions as vital to the survival and growth of tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Ndace commended Echono’s leadership and reforms at the Fund, pledging VON’s full support in projecting TETFund’s activities internationally.
He explained that VON, as Nigeria’s external broadcast service, transmits in eight languages: English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Fulfulde, French, Arabic, and Swahili, and was expanding partnerships to further enhance Nigeria’s global image.
Ndace disclosed that the organisation was repositioning its operations by strengthening its zonal offices nationwide and diversifying its programming to incorporate culture, tourism, and development-focused storytelling alongside government policies.
He stressed the urgency for Nigeria to own and shape its narrative, noting that positive national strides are often eclipsed by negative portrayals in segments of the foreign media.
The VON Director-General proposed a structured collaboration that would allow VON’s correspondents across the country to cover TETFund’s activities, translate content into multiple languages, and support capacity building for communication teams in tertiary institutions.
He also revealed ongoing efforts to reactivate VON’s high-capacity rotating antenna transmitter, a move expected to enhance Nigeria’s broadcast reach across Africa, Europe, and other parts of the world.
