General
COVID-19: Experts Advocate Collective Approach to Public Affairs Function
Communications and Public Affairs experts have advocated for collective and strategic engagement efforts to mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 on businesses and governance.
They also emphasised that Public Affairs function as a management function has become the new deal breaker for organizations that want to thrive during this COVID-19 crisis period.
These were some of the resolutions advanced at a webinar held on June 10, 2010 and hosted by Re-Ignite Public Affairs Limited with the theme Managing the Public Affairs Function Post COVID-19.
The carefully selected panellists who are authorities in the field of communications, government relations, stakeholders’ engagement, financial communication, policy research and analysis representing various sectors shared their experiences with hundreds of participants from across the continent.
They included Sade Morgan, Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Ade Adefeko, Vice President, Corporate & Government Relations, Olam Nigeria; Emeka Oparah, Vice President, Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility, Airtel Nigeria; and Olufemi Awoyemi, Founder/ Chairman Proshare Nigeria.
The session was anchored by the President of African Public Relations Association APRA and Group Managing Director of CMC Connect Limited (Perception Managers), Yomi Badejo-Okusanya.
The panellists emphasized how core programmes under the Public Affairs function have become handy in moving businesses forward, engaging various stakeholders, creating corporate relevance and reinforcing brand equity in the face of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking on the effect of the lockdown on her organisation, Sade Morgan, Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc described their experience in terms of “the good, the bad and the ugly”.
“This period has challenged the organizations to work differently with stakeholders. We have seen a lot of changes in the way we work; going digital as a country and this has brought about a lot of efficiency.
“This crisis has particularly put corporate affairs at the heart of the business, because we came in strategically to being at our optimal best for the growth of the business.
“By engaging our external stakeholders, we are securing business continuity in different ways; we are delivering communications on various internal engagement platforms to keep our human capital motivated,” she said.
With regards to Government Relations “we need to understand that government cannot do it all. To drive business continuity and keep economic activity going, Public Affairs role is to ensure that government has full visibility of what is going on with us in the private sector” Morgan pointed.
In his own submission, Olufemi Awoyemi, Founder/Chairman of Proshare Nigeria posited that the Public Affairs function, during this pandemic, has been at the heart of some of the most important issues of the day.
With lives at stake, the private sector has worked closely with government, which has been in a full listening mode, to address the challenge of lives at stake and livelihood palliatives to be delivered through such private sector led coalitions like the CaCOVID. Those who did nothing will be called out at a later date, he said.
“This is a teachable moment for anyone involved in the craft to understand that the rules of the game has been rewritten already and that public communications is back as No. 1, and that enhanced state involvement is here to stay. Putting a dedicated person in charge of governmental affairs reflects or engaging a dedicated Public Affairs professional is the best understanding that to get anything done now, and in the future, will require government engagement. For the professionals, this is a two-way street that is less travelled.
“For the Public Affairs function, it is now, more than ever before, about reputation management (not brand management) and being a deal broker; a minder for the firm”, Awoyemi stated.
For Ade Adefeko, Vice President, Corporate & Government Relations, Olam Nigeria, lobbying and engagement are key to business survival. “There is nothing that you need to get done in the future that will not require government engagement,” he said.
Adefeko debunked the wrong notion equating lobbying as bribery. “Lobbying is an accepted engagement tool that must be done professionally without pecuniary consideration. I have been doing this successfully for years.
“To do it effectively, you must bear in mind the end game from the beginning. Your objective must be defined, and your communication specific. Your set goals to what needs to be achieved must be highlighted.
“However, there is need for public affairs professionals to understand the mandate of government agencies for them to be able to design appropriate strategies in engaging the government”, Adefeko advised.
While Emeka Oparah, Vice President, Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility, Airtel Nigeria, charged public affairs managers to collaborate and coordinate at this trying time.
“This period has taught us to engage more, we can exchange contacts and resources. As a public Affairs person you should know what you want and where to go and get it. You should have a network of people of influence within your network.
“There is need for you to understand your organization and its people in order to be able to articulate issues for seamless business operations,” he said.
The moderator Badejo-Okusanya cued in some participants for their views and they included, Abdul Waheed Patel, Chief Executive Officer of Ethicore Political Lobbying, South Africa; Temitope Oguntokun, Director, Corporate Affairs + Legal at ABinbev; Tony Ojobo, immediate past Public Affairs Director of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); and Anthony Chiejina. Group Head, Corporate Communications for Dangote Group.
All panellists also agree that relationship management is key for a successful Public Affairs function and network of influence are part of critical success factors for Public Affairs practitioner.
Participants thoroughly enjoyed and indicated interest in participating in future public affairs webinars by Reignite Public Affairs.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) recently hosted a high-level delegation from Newryton International Industrial Development Company Limited, a leading Chinese investment and industrial development consortium, to advance discussions on deepening bilateral trade, industrial cooperation, and development financing between both countries.
The Newryton delegation, led by Mr David Chen, Assistant Secretary-General of the China Hainan Investment Council, had earlier engaged with the Nigerian Association of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA). They were accompanied to the NCSP by Mr Joe Onyuike, Vice-Chairman of NACCIMA’s Agriculture and Livestock Trade Group, who conveyed NACCIMA’s support for the delegation’s engagements.
Discussions centered on the establishment of a Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform, including a proposed Promotion Centre in China to support Nigerian products, investors, and state governments.
The consortium also presented opportunities within Hainan Province’s Free Trade Port (FTP), which offers preferential policies that Nigerian businesses can leverage to expand exports and attract new investments.
In his address on behalf of Newryton, Mr Pong outlined plans to collaborate with NCSP in accessing FOCAC-supported financing for strategic investments in agriculture, energy, mining, solid minerals processing, and related sectors. The delegation identified aquaculture as a key area of interest and referenced the forthcoming Global Aquaculture Conference in Hainan Province, encouraging Nigerian stakeholders to participate.
They also expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation in vocational training and employment under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Director-General, Martins Olajide, NCSP’s Head of Internal Operations, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.
He highlighted NCSP’s strong interest in the proposed Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform and the development of the Nigerian Oil Palm Industrial Park as a flagship demonstration project.
Also speaking at the meeting, Ms Judy Melifonwu, NCSP’s Head of International Relations, underscored the opportunities presented by China’s zero-tariff policy and the forthcoming NAQS–GACC protocol on the export of Nigerian aquaculture products. She noted that these frameworks would significantly enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in emerging global markets.
Both parties expressed commitment to advancing discussions toward a structured cooperation framework covering all priority areas.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom–Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), established in 2019 as part of a 16-year legacy of UK-funded infrastructure support to Nigeria, convened over 100 senior stakeholders on Tuesday, December 2, to review its progress and formally close out its current phase of operations.
The event brought together representatives from federal and state governments, development partners, development finance institutions, and the private sector to reflect on UKNIAF’s work across the power, infrastructure finance, and roads sectors. Discussions focused on institutional reforms, capacity development, and the sustainability of tools and processes introduced over the past six years.
Since inception, UKNIAF has delivered targeted technical assistance designed to embed evidence-based reforms, data-driven decision-making, and improved institutional performance. Its interventions have mobilised significant financing, strengthened regulatory and planning systems, and enhanced investor readiness across multiple infrastructure markets.
In the power sector, participants highlighted landmark achievements including the development of Nigeria’s first Integrated Resource Plan, which outlines a least-cost and low-carbon pathway for expanding electricity supply. UKNIAF also supported the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in building advanced real-time data capabilities for tariff monitoring, grid management, and outage tracking. The programme enabled pioneering states to establish their own electricity markets following constitutional reforms.
In infrastructure finance, UKNIAF was recognised for strengthening project preparation systems and enabling access to capital. Notable accomplishments include supporting the mobilisation of $75 million from the African Development Bank to the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme in two states, and accelerating mini-grid and solar deployment through improved technical standards at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
UKNIAF also designed a national project preparation facility, for which N21 billion was allocated in both the 2024 and 2025 budgets to build a pipeline of bankable projects.
Speaking on this, Mr Frank Edozie, UKNIAF Team Lead, described the programme’s close-out as a “handover for sustained delivery,” emphasising that strengthened institutions now hold tools that make Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape more transparent, climate-smart, and investor-ready.
On his part, the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, commended the programme, noting that its technical assistance and advisory services had helped lay the foundation for a sustainable and inclusive electricity supply industry.
Mrs Cynthia Rowe, Head of Development Corporation at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Nigeria, praised the partnership, highlighting achievements ranging from state-level electricity market reforms to unlocking major financing and designing Nigeria’s Climate Change Fund.
Enugu State Secretary to the State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, underscored the lasting influence of the programme, stating that UKNIAF’s impact continues through the expertise and leadership transferred to national and sub-national institutions.
The close-out event reaffirmed stakeholders’ commitment to sustaining tools, reforms, and knowledge products developed under UKNIAF, while strengthening collaboration among public, private, and development actors in the infrastructure ecosystem.
Participants included federal and state agencies such as the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Federal Ministry of Power, Ministry of Finance, NERC, REA, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, alongside development partners including the African Development Bank, World Bank, and IFC, as well as private sector and civil society stakeholders.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, has been slashed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The Lagos-based oil facility brought down the ex-depot price of the petroleum product by 15.58 per cent or N129 per litre to N828 per litre.
Though the company had yet to release an official statement on this development, real-time market data on Petroleumprice.ng on Friday showed the new price.
Punch reports that data from the platform also showed fresh reductions across several private depots following the refinery’s latest review.
Sigmund Depot cut its ex-depot price by N4 to N824 per litre, Bulk Strategic dropped its price by N3, and TechnoOil slashed its by N15.
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