Communication experts call for reimagined Nigerian narrative 

Communication and media professionals have called for a deliberate effort to reshape Nigeria’s national identity through storytelling and strategic communication.  They made the call on Saturday at The Nigerian Side Summit 2025 held in Abuja on Saturday. The summit, themed “Storytelling and Strategic Communications for Nation-Building,” brought together communication experts, creatives, and development practitioners committed […]

Communication and media professionals have called for a deliberate effort to reshape Nigeria’s national identity through storytelling and strategic communication. 

They made the call on Saturday at The Nigerian Side Summit 2025 held in Abuja on Saturday.

The summit, themed “Storytelling and Strategic Communications for Nation-Building,” brought together communication experts, creatives, and development practitioners committed to transforming how Nigeria is perceived locally and globally.

In her opening remarks, Tari Abili, Abuja Chapter Lead of The Comms Avenue, said the initiative aimed to inspire a new national conversation that celebrates creativity, resilience, and progress.

“Communication is a connector. It bridges distance, unites perspectives, and helps us find common ground even when we come from different places and experiences.

“This summit is our collective opportunity to reimagine the narrative of Nigeria — to explore how storytelling and strategic communication can become instruments of transformation, unity, and national pride,”Abili said.

Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Emmanuel Dania, CEO of AmouroG Oil & Gas and Co-founder of Astral Media, emphasized that communication is central to defining Nigeria’s collective identity.

“Communication is more than just exchanging words; it is the lifeblood of our society,” Dania said. “Each time we share a story, a thought, or a dream, we are constructing our identity. In a country as diverse as Nigeria, with over 250 ethnic groups, communication is the loom that weaves our many threads together.”

He urged communicators to use storytelling and media responsibly to promote inclusion and national cohesion.

“The stories we tell shape perceptions and influence identities,” he added. “We must strive to promote narratives that unite us rather than divide us. Let us communicate with purpose, with passion, and with a commitment to building a stronger, united Nigeria.”

Dania also called for investment in education and technology to strengthen communication skills, especially among young Nigerians, saying effective dialogue could “pave the way for understanding and reconciliation.”

In his presentation titled “Narrative as Infrastructure: Why Stories Are the New Roads,” Gideon Ibeabuchi, General Manager of Mswitch Creative Hub, described storytelling as the foundation of social and national transformation.

“Every road built in concrete begins as a story — a vision someone believed could connect people and possibilities,” Ibeabuchi said. “In the same way, every thriving nation begins not with money or power, but with narrative.”

He argued that nations rise or fall based on the stories they believe about themselves.

“Whoever controls the narrative controls the future,” he noted. “Africa’s future must be told by Africans — through our own lens, with our own rhythm, and in our own voice.”

Ibeabuchi revealed that through the StoryXLab initiative, Mswitch Creative Hub is training a new generation of African storytellers and creative technologists capable of shaping how the continent is perceived globally.

The Nigerian Side movement, which convened the summit, seeks to challenge stereotypes and promote a richer, more authentic portrayal of Nigeria through storytelling, dialogue, and collaboration.

As the discussions concluded, participants agreed that stories remain powerful tools for building unity, fostering innovation, and redefining Nigeria’s image on the world stage.

“When stories change, nations change,” Ibeabuchi said in closing. “And when nations change, the world begins to pay attention.”