"We must tell our success stories too" – Nigeria's information minister on 26 years of democratic growth
The Nigerian government aims to enhance its international image and attract investment by emphasizing positive narratives about the country.
The government is integrating media literacy into education to empower youth with critical thinking and responsible content creation skills.
Officials are encouraging citizens and media creators to highlight Nigeria's successes alongside its challenges to foster a balanced perspective.
As Nigeria commemorates 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has called on citizens, particularly the media and content creators, to strike a balance in how they portray the nation, urging them to also tell our success stories alongside the challenges.
Business Insider Africa spoke with the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Mohammed Idris, about the nation's achievements over the years.
According to the minister, telling positive stories about the country - whether in governance, innovation, entrepreneurship, or the creative sector, is not an exercise in propaganda but a strategic necessity.
As Nigeria works to reposition its global image and attract international partnerships, he urged stakeholders to take ownership of the national narrative and project hope, resilience, and progress.
" There are so many good things happening around Nigeria. You can't just keep selling only the bad stories. No country does that and progresses—especially at a time when we're seeking foreign direct investment. If we want investors to come, we also have to tell the positive stories about our country, so they can believe in it and be encouraged to invest." he said.
Clarity in governance matters
Following President Tinubu's inauguration, the government took bold decisions, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira. These reforms triggered a range of economic disruptions, leading to a sharp rise in fuel prices and general commodity costs across the country.
As a result, the cost of living increased significantly, with many citizens experiencing reduced purchasing power, widespread hardship, and hunger.
According to the minister, the Tinubu-led administration has remained fully aware of the situation and has consistently kept Nigerians updated on its economic policies and adjustment strategies.
'One thing this government consistently does is keep ordinary Nigerians informed about the steps it's taking to fix the country. President Tinubu has always emphasized the importance of maintaining transparency in all our processes. ' the minister said.
Training and empowering youth in media and social media
Beyond education, the administration is developing a range of programs aimed at engaging artists, media professionals, investors, and civil society groups to foster mutual understanding and drive sustainable growth in the sector.
These efforts not only aim to elevate Nigeria's cultural profile but also to attract foreign direct investment, positioning the creative economy as a cornerstone of national development.
Idris highlighted that the administration is developing a range of programs aimed at engaging artists, media professionals, investors, and civil society groups to foster mutual understanding and drive sustainable growth in the sector.
These efforts not only aim to elevate Nigeria's cultural profile but also to attract foreign direct investment, positioning the creative economy as a cornerstone of national development.
' An inflow of over $200 million has been secured by the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy through external funding. This will provide a major boost to the sector. We know that Nigerian youth have been making waves globally, especially across the African continent. '
"Our film industry, Nollywood, has gained significant recognition, and many young Nigerians are also excelling in music and other creative arts. These are powerful tools of communication with the world. Through arts and culture, we can promote Nigeria's image abroad and demonstrate that the country has been evolving and improving over the years.' He said
Promoting positive narratives and national orientation
The Minister of Information and national orientation highlighted the urgency of responsible social media use, stressing the need for targeted training programs for youth and influencers who play a major role in shaping public discourse and perceptions.
As part of this comprehensive effort, the ministry said is collaborating with the Ministry of Education to embed media and information literacy into the national curriculum, beginning with the National Open University. This initiative is designed to equip young Nigerians with the critical thinking and digital skills necessary to navigate today's media landscape.
' We are already working with the Ministry of Education to deepen this initiative so it can be replicated across other universities. The goal is for Nigerian youth not only to study geography, science, English, or mass communication, but also to gain media literacy—the ability to discern between good and bad information, between what is fake and what is real.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
4 hours ago
- Business Insider
IFC partners with FCMB to empower Nigerian women entrepreneurs
IFC partners with FCMB to empower Nigerian women entrepreneurs First City Monument Bank Ltd. (FCMB) has partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to roll out the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women course to promote entrepreneurship. Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women is a global initiative that helps foster economic growth by providing entrepreneurs around the world with practical education, interactive activities, and instruction by educators from top business schools reaching over 200,000 entrepreneurs. Built by Goldman Sachs and delivered through the University of Leeds, 10,000 Women Online education program is open to all SMEs, granting access to all ten courses and eligibility to join the 10,000 Women alumni community. Building on a legacy of empowering women entrepreneurs, FCMB, through its SheVentures initiative has significantly contributed to the empowerment of female entrepreneurs in Nigeria over the last five years. The program has provided zero-interest loans totaling up to N800 million and offered training and mentorship to thousands of women-led SMEs. Yemisi Edun, Managing Director, First City Monument Bank, said: 'Empowering women entrepreneurs is essential to driving innovation, job creation, and economic growth. This program will enhance their skills and also unlock new opportunities for their businesses, aligning with our purpose of fostering inclusive and sustainable growth." George Ogbonnaya, FCMB's Divisional Head of Business Banking, emphasized the bank's commitment to SMEs, stating that, 'the partnership promotes gender equality within the entrepreneurial landscape and will foster sustainable growth for all." Applications for the 10,000 Women Online program opened on August 1, 2025, and will close on August 31,2025 for both start-ups and existing female entrepreneurs across Nigeria. Further details and application information are available at About IFC The International Finance Corporation is an international financial institution headquartered in Washington, D.C. and a member of the World Bank Group that offers investment, advisory, and asset-management services to encourage private-sector development in developing countries. About Goldman Sachs Foundation Founded in 1999, the Goldman Sachs Foundation is a global philanthropic organization focused on driving local economic growth and opportunity through investing in entrepreneurship globally. About the University of Leeds The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, with more than 40,000 students from about 140 different countries. We are renowned globally for the quality of our teaching and research. We are a values-driven university, and we harness our expertise in research and education to help shape a better future for humanity, working through collaboration to tackle inequalities, achieve societal impact and drive change.
CNBC
9 hours ago
- CNBC
More European companies are shunning high-stakes deals in favor of smaller M&As
Flush with cash from a period of resilient earnings, a growing number of European companies are shunning high-stakes deals in favor of smaller and targeted "bolt-on" acquisitions to pursue growth. Executives from industrial giants to consumer goods firms are deploying capital on strategic deals designed to snap up competitors and acquire technologies instead of staking their reputations on major deals that run the risk of never materializing. It's a strategy that is allowing firms to pursue growth without the immense risks and regulatory headaches that have scuttled larger deals. "This is a time again as part of playing offense, where we're definitely considering what M & A might be on the table," Hanneke Faber, CEO of Swiss-American hardware maker Logitech , told CNBC's " Squawk Box Europe " after announcing its first-quarter results. The company sits on a $1.5 billion cash pile with no debt, with Faber adding that mergers and acquisitions are a key pillar of the company's capital allocation policy. That sentiment is echoed across the continent. DWS Group , a German asset manager, described a similar posture of patient hunting. "We are in a position of strength. We have 800 million of excess capital and counting," Markus Kobler, DWS' chief financial officer, told CNBC in July. "We don't feel pressurized that we have to do something... but we look at targets." That approach stands in stark contrast to the high-stakes drama surrounding larger potential tie-ups. In the energy sector, Shell CEO Wael Sawan pushed back against the "bigger is better" logic driving consolidation among his U.S. rivals. "I don't buy bigger is better. I think you have to drive it from a value perspective," Sawan told CNBC, noting that the bar for any large deal is exceptionally high. A deal between BP and Shell , two of the U.K.'s largest oil and gas firms, would have likely attracted the attention of competition regulators. Instead, the company chose to do smaller transactions, such as the $510 million deal with France's TotalEnergies to buy its stake in a Nigerian offshore oilfield earlier this year. Sawan said those are the type of deals that can help Shell "grow without having to do a big splash." Sawan is not alone in rethinking large-scale M & As. In Italy, UniCredit CEO Andrea Orcel recently abandoned a bid for rival Banco BPM after the deal became a "drag," with one too many political obstacles. "Given the situation on golden power, there was no other place to go, and at some point, you need to catch your losses, eliminate your drag, and focus on what you control," Orcel told CNBC, referring to the Italian government's power to block deals in strategic sectors. UniCredit is also engaged in a transaction involving the potential takeover of Germany's Commerzbank , which is facing significant political pushback. The uncertainty and increased risks around high-stakes deals have made bolt-on strategies more appealing for executives. French building materials giant Saint-Gobain has made them a core part of its business model. "Large, transformative acquisitions, that's not really our play," Maud Thuaudet, Saint-Gobain's CFO, told CNBC earlier this month. "We are much more into being very selective, very value accretive in terms of how this complements country by country, our portfolio of customers and technologies." The company announced that three such deals made in Canada, Peru and Italy were closed in a single week in July, on top of larger acquisitions in Australia and Latin America. For Swiss fragrance and flavor maker Givaudan , it's about acquiring customer books and new capabilities. "This is really part of the strategy of Givaudan, which is around the bolt-on acquisitions, to buy small competitors, which give us a very nice and interesting portfolio of clients that we don't necessarily have, and the two, combined with Givaudan, is a great way to grow," said CEO Gilles Andrier. The company recently bought a makeup firm in Italy and a fragrance competitor in Brazil. Givaudan, which also operates a pet care division, said it is openly scouting for deals in the pet food space. "If there would be an asset in pet food, we'll be happy to try to buy it," Andrier added. Dutch grocer Ahold Delhaize , which has been the subject of rumors about a potential mega-merger with France's Carrefour in late 2024, pointed instead to its recent 1.3 billion euro ($1.5 billion) acquisition of Romanian supermarket chain Profi as proof of its active M & A strategy. "We also look at other opportunities to grow the company inorganically through M & A, and that's why we are always looking at what we can do in Europe and the US," said chief executive Frans Muller. "We have an active view on that. We have a strong balance sheet where we have the strength to do these kinds of things." "We're actively looking and where things fit our strategy agenda and fit also, let's say, the right economic values, we are open to these kinds of things," Muller added. Executives are also keenly aware of the operational burdens that M & As can create in integrating the acquired business into their own firms, highlighting the attractiveness of smaller deals. German automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler is still digesting its large acquisition of Vitesco Technologies, a deal that closed just last year. "We have our hands full with that integration," said CEO Klaus Rosenfeld, admitting the company has little room for further M & A risk. "If you think about the complexity that has been triggered by that acquisition, we need to bring that further down," Rosenfeld added. "We also have a leverage situation that is still okay, but there's not much [room to maneuver]. So we are, at the moment, very cautious in looking at future acquisitions." — CNBC's Juliana Tatelbaum, Karen Tso, Steve Sedgwick, Silvia Amaro, Annette Weisbach, and Carolin Roth contributed reporting.
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
Africa's richest man is just $700m away from a historic $30 billion net worth
Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, the industrial giant whose name is nearly associated with modern Nigerian industry, appears to be on the verge of achieving a significant new milestone. Aliko Dangote's net worth on Bloomberg's Billionaires Index is $29.3 billion, with a year-to-date increase of $1.2 billion. Dangote's wealth has fluctuated throughout the year due to market conditions and industry performance. Key contributors to Dangote's visible wealth include his public companies: Dangote Cement, Dangote Sugar, UBA, and NASCON. Bloomberg's real-time Billionaires Index presently values Dangote's net worth at $29.3 billion, a year-to-date rise of almost $1.20 billion that has reignited speculation about the continent's first-ever $30 billion person. That surge is noteworthy since it comes after a roller-coaster few months. At the start of the year, Dangote was valued at around $28.1 billion on Bloomberg's index. By mid-year, some trackers reported his net worth at $27.7 billion, with a mid-year YTD change of -$400 million, while an April snapshot had Dangote's YTD change at just +$153 million, demonstrating how unpredictable these headline figures can be as markets, currencies, and company results move. Reasons why Dangote's net worth is climbing Dangote Cement, Dangote Sugar, and Nascon are among the publicly traded companies that make up the majority of Dangote's visible wealth, as per the Punch. In terms of public assets, Dangote Cement is valued $5.54 billion, Dangote Sugar is worth $357 million, UBA is worth $484,000, and NASCON is worth $117 million. The $1.2 billion year-to-date gain has been attributed to strong share price movements on the Nigerian Exchange, as well as higher market valuations. Local coverage and market commentary attribute the recent share strength to strong operating results and improved Nigerian macroeconomic signals. Additionally, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, a gigantic integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in Lekki, is his portfolio's single most transformative asset. Although the refinery is not listed (so values are simulated rather than market-priced), its output and export possibilities have significantly raised investor expectations for Dangote Group's future cash flows and the long-term worth of its ownership. Analysts and business journalists consistently highlight the refinery as a key cause for the wealth re-rating. So, is $30 billion imminent or simply headline bait? It's reasonable, not implausible. Dangote needs around $0.7 billion to surpass Bloomberg's $29.3 billion number.
