Joel Ajayi
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, has charged the scheme’s Information, Protocol, and Media officers to move beyond routine publicity and embrace strategic, innovative communication that strengthens the NYSC’s image and visibility.
Brig.-Gen. Nafiu gave the charge on Monday during the 2025 Combined Workshop for IPR, Protocol, FOI, and Media Officers, held in Abuja.
The two-day workshop, themed “Building Capacity of NYSC Public Relations Officers for Strategic Communication and Reputation Management,” focuses on communication innovation, institutional branding, and reputation enhancement.
He emphasised the need for communication officers to prioritise perception management, image building, and relationship development through creativity, storytelling, and data-driven insights.
“An effective communication strategy must reflect the political and cultural environments we operate in, free from political or religious bias,” he stated. “Every state office represents a subsystem of Nigeria’s national identity and must be sensitive to its environment.”
The NYSC helmsman further urged officers to embrace multi-platform engagement to reach diverse audiences across generations.
“Because of generational gaps and varied communication styles, when you post on Twitter, you should also share the same message on Facebook and TikTok. That’s balance,” he said.
Nafiu also encouraged information officers to think strategically and entrepreneurially, leveraging communication as a tool to create value and strengthen the NYSC’s institutional reputation.
“We must invest in ideas and content that generate value. As communication professionals, you are the image-making arm of the NYSC. If people don’t hear us clearly or misunderstand our messages, it’s your responsibility to advise management on improving our communication,” he added.
In his remarks, the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mr. Emeka Mgbemena, highlighted the workshop’s role in sharpening officers’ professional skills and deepening their understanding of modern communication and reputation management practices.
“These engagements continue to enhance our capacity for strategic storytelling in promoting the NYSC’s mission, vision, and accomplishments,” he noted.
Mgbemena added that the workshop was designed to refresh participants’ knowledge and equip them with effective strategies for managing information, engaging stakeholders, and projecting the scheme’s policies and achievements.
“The workshop was designed to refresh and equip officers with the latest strategies for managing information, engaging stakeholders effectively, and showcasing the policies, programmes, and accomplishments of the NYSC scheme,” he explained.
