By Adeola Kunle
The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has urged Public Relations Officers (PROs) of the Scheme to adopt stronger strategic communication approaches to protect and enhance its reputation among stakeholders within and outside Nigeria.
General Nafiu gave the charge in Abuja while addressing participants at the 2026 Public Relations, Media and Protocol Officers Workshop organised for officers of the Scheme.
The workshop, themed “NYSC Strategic Communication: Shaping Perception, Safeguarding Reputation, and Fostering Public Trust,” was described by the NYSC helmsman as timely and relevant, particularly against the backdrop of the rapidly evolving communication landscape.
According to him, strategic communication extends beyond publicity, as it requires organisations to deliberately inform, engage, listen to and respond to their stakeholders in a coordinated manner.
He therefore stressed the need for NYSC communication to remain accurate, timely, credible, consistent and responsive.
The Director General identified communication professionals as key custodians of the image and reputation of the NYSC, charging them to fully understand the mandate of the Scheme and remain alert to issues capable of affecting public perception.
Represented at the workshop by the Director, Community Development Services and Special Projects, Mr Chiwendu Chukwu, General Nafiu urged the officers to anticipate public concerns, track emerging narratives and ensure that verified information gets to the appropriate audience through the right platform and at the right time.
He also called for improved capacity in proactive communication, media monitoring, fact-checking and crisis communication.
The NYSC DG further encouraged the officers to maximise the opportunities provided by the rapidly expanding digital environment to highlight the Scheme’s contributions to national development.
In his welcome address, the Director, Media Department, Mr Emeka Mgbemena, advised the officers to remain vigilant against misinformation and misleading narratives directed at the NYSC, particularly across social media platforms.
He explained that the workshop was designed to strengthen the capacity of Information Managers by providing them with the knowledge and skills required to implement effective Public Relations strategies in the performance of their duties and interactions with the media and other important stakeholders.
Mgbemena noted that the increasing influence of digital media had brought new challenges, including junk journalism, misinformation, abuse of social media platforms and inadequate reporting of important activities.
He also pointed to the high level of social media engagement among young people, stressing the importance of equipping communication officers with the appropriate tools and expertise to effectively project the image of the Scheme.
“We are in the era of digital media evolution, with inherent challenges such as junk journalism, misinformation, misuse of social media and under-reporting, coupled with the present generation of youths who are highly active on social media,” he said.
He added that the situation made it necessary for officers to develop the capacity required to strengthen the Scheme’s public image through the information and content presented to the public.
The Media Director also tasked the PROs with maintaining the highest level of professionalism in handling the reputation of the NYSC at the various State Secretariats and the National Directorate Headquarters (NDHQ).
He urged them to adopt a proactive approach, tell the Scheme’s stories effectively and remain committed to countering misinformation.
“As officers entrusted with the task of managing the reputation of the Scheme at our respective States and the NDHQ, we must work with the highest degree of professionalism. We must be proactive and not reactive; we need to effectively tell our stories and guard against misinformation,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr Ike Neliaku, urged NYSC Public Relations Officers to maintain professional standards in corporate communication and apply effective reputation management practices to strengthen public understanding of the Scheme.
Neliaku emphasised that successful organisations do not build their reputation by chance, but through deliberate and consistent efforts.
The workshop brought together Public Relations, Media and Protocol Officers from the NYSC State Secretariats across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.
Adeola Kunle
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