Malam Garba Shehu has had a stellar career in public communication, political public relations and journalism for over four decades. He was the Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari for eight years (2015-2023). He holds this position till date in Buhari’s capacity as a former president. He was also a Spokesperson and Special Assistant on Media to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and head of the Atiku Media Office, from 2003 to 2015. He was previously President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, and Managing Director of Triumph Newspapers, Kano for many years.

Dr Sule Ya’u Sule is Professor of Communication at the Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano and Chairman, Board of Image Merchants Promotions (IMPR) Limited. He has had more than three decades of professional experience in public relations, government communications, journalism, and academia. He is the longest serving Director of Press in the history of Kano State with over ten years on the role, spanning several military and civilian administrations in the State. He also served as Director/Head of Publicity and Protocol, Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja, from 2014 to 2015. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (FNIPR), and a member of, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE). He has authored several books and academic articles on strategic communication, public relations, media studies, etc.

Dr. Ibietan is journalist, writer, author, academic as well as communication and multistakeholder relationship management specialist. He is the head of media relations at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and secretary-general of the African Public Relations Association (APRA). At NCC, he oversees key aspects of the corporate communication strategy and he was earlier the frontline liaison officer of the Commission with the National Assembly, during which he set standards in legislative relations management.

He was Special Media Advisor to the Federal Minister of Information and Communication, during which he popularised the use of new media in public communication. He holds a diploma in journalism with distinction from the Moscow-Based International Institute of Journalism, earned a BA and MA in Communication Arts and Communication & Language Arts from the Universities of Uyo and Ibadan in Nigeria, respectively, graduating atop his classes, and obtained a Ph.D. in Communication from the North-West University in South Africa, specialising in political communication.

He is a fellow of both the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and the African Public Relations Association (APRA). He is also a member of the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE), an Associate Registered Practitioner of Advertising (ARPA) and member of the International Institute of Communications (IIC), the world’s only policy debating platform for the converged communications industry. His first book, SOCIAL MEDIA, SOCIAL DEMOGRAPHY, AND VOTING BEHAVIOUR IN NIGERIA (Washington/Abuja: Premium Times Books) was published in May 2023.

Dr. Geoffrey Njoku is a Communications, Advocacy and Development Communication Specialist with a wide range of experience in Radio broadcasting, communication for development, media advocacy, public information management, agenda setting, fund raising and events management. He was until recently the Director of Communication and Outreach at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Nigeria. During his 21 years at UNICEF Nigeria, he had responsibilities for public advocacy, communication strategies, and media relations, training and capacity development, as well as creating the right media environment to influence policy for all the rights of children among media, governments, donors, etc. He previously worked for 18 years with Nigeria’s premier radio station, Radio Nigeria in 1983, and rose to the position of Chief of Staff, Office of the Director General and Special Assistant to the Director General.
He holds MSc. in Economics and Social Studies (with distinction), from University of Cardiff, United Kingdom and PhD in Communication and Journalism (cum laude) Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain. He also holds certificates in leadership from the Harvard Business School (2015) and Communication for Development (with distinction) from University of Ohio Athens USA (2012.), and in graduate professional development studies in Media for Democracy and Development from University of Missouri, Columbia USA (2001). He is a fellow of the United States’ Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship and British Chevening Fellowship.

Dr Suleiman is the Executive Director and Founder of the Institute of Public Communication (PIC), Abuja. He has over 17 years’ combined experience in academia, professional journalism practice, international development and private research and communications consultancy. He was most recently Chairman Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-Chief at the Daily Trust Newspaper, Abuja, where he provided intellectual, editorial, and managerial leadership for the Board and the weekly titles. He was also the pioneer Presenter of the Daily Politics and Sunday Politics programmes on Trust TV and Chair of the Media Trust Group Nigeria 2023 Election Debate Committee, where he conducted high-profile interviews, including with presidential and governorship candidates, and moderated several governorship election debates and two Trust Annual National Dialogue events. He provided private communication consultancy services and advice to several politicians, candidates and campaigns during the 2023 elections in Nigeria. He writes the Monday back-page column in the Daily Trust focused on issues of politics and public policy in Nigeria called the White Paper (2020 to date).
He previously worked as the DFID Research Fellow in Anti-Corruption Behaviour Change Communication at the ICPC and briefly as Public Affairs Specialist at the US Embassy, Abuja. As an academic for over ten years, he has taught both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Political Communications, Public Diplomacy, Public Relations, Intercultural Communication, etc, at three universities in Nigeria and the UK. In particular, he co-led the popular postgraduate level course “Politics, Public Affairs and the Media” at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK for three years. He was formerly Assistant Professor in Media and Communication Design at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, where he served as Chair of the department.
Suleiman holds a PhD in Media and Politics—through a fully-funded international doctoral scholarship—from the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK (2017), an MA in Applied Communication (with Distinction) from Coventry University, UK (2011), with a specialization in Political Communication, and a BA in Mass Communication from Bayero University, Kano, where he won four awards for best graduating student in the department and faculty, including the Wada Maida Prize for Best Graduating Student in Journalism and the Kano State Government Prize for Best Graduating Student in Public Relations . He also holds an Advanced Certificate Course in Public Policy Analysis from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London, UK (2024), and the Senior Management Programme at the Lagos Business School, Pan Atlantic University, Lagos (2023). He has several published widely in leading academic journals and book publishers like Routledge and Springer. Suleiman is an Associate Member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), International Press Institute (IPI), Media and Politics Section of the British Political Studies Association, and the European Consortium for Political Research.

Mr Abubakar is a Director and Co-Founder of the Institute of Public Communication (IPC). He is a PhD Fellow, University of Westminster and former Editor-in-chief, Daily Trust newspaper. He is a highly accomplished media executive, journalist, and consultant with over a decade of experience in leading roles across the media landscape. He is currently a PhD fellow at the University of Westminster, where he is researching digital disruptions and new business models trends among African publishers. With an MA in Journalism (Digital Media) from New York University and an MA in New Media and Society from the University of Leicester, Mr. Abubakar's academic background complements his extensive hands-on expertise in media management, digital transformation, and editorial leadership. Until September 2024, he was the Group Executive Director of Digital & Editorial at Media Trust Group - owners of Daily Trust newspapers, Trust Television, Trust Radio and Digital, where he oversaw one of Nigeria's largest and most diverse newsrooms. His leadership has been instrumental in transitioning Daily Trust, a legacy media organisation, into a digital-first outlet, significantly boosting digital revenue and metrics. As part of this transformation, he established the Trust Media Digital Hub, reflecting his forward-thinking approach to media in the digital age.
Prior to this, as Editor-in-Chief of Media Trust Group, Naziru became the youngest person to hold this position at 37. Under his leadership, investigative reporting flourished, and the organization navigated financial challenges posed by declining advertising revenues and the COVID-19 pandemic by innovating alternative revenue models. His career began at the BBC World Service, where he spent a decade in various editorial land managerial roles, including Nigeria Editor and Editorial Project Manager for West Africa. At the BBC, he led teams across Nigeria, Ghana, Niger, and Cameroon, and played a key role in setting up digital-only language services in Yoruba, Igbo, and Pidgin. Naziru’s consultancy experience spans both public and private sectors, including work with the Kaduna State Government, Pew Research Centre, MacArthur Foundation, Tropical General Investment Group, and the Centre for Democracy and Development. He has provided media training for numerous organizations, including the US Embassy in Abuja, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre and the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.
Naziru is fluent in English and Hausa, with intermediate proficiency in Arabic, Naziru has attended leadership and editorial courses at top institutions, including the BBC Academy and Lagos Business School. His contributions to journalism and media sustainability make him a leading figure in the Nigerian media industry.

Halima Umar Saleh is a highly accomplished digital journalist with over 14 years of extensive experience in multimedia storytelling and content creation. Her career is marked by a commitment to amplifying sustainable development narratives that promote environmental awareness, social justice, and economic growth. Halima has successfully led editorial teams at prominent organizations, including BBC News Hausa and TRT Afrika, where she honed her skills in multimedia journalism by producing compelling stories across digital platforms. Throughout her tenure, she has effectively managed high-performance teams, shaped content strategies, and driven audience engagement initiatives, resulting in significant growth in reach and visibility.
Halima’s expertise extends to various multimedia formats, including video production, podcasting, and social media management, allowing her to connect with diverse audiences. Her innovative approach to digital journalism includes organizing numerous impactful projects, such as the BBC World Service programs that won recognition for their contributions to mental health awareness. With her strong analytical and strategic thinking abilities, Halima is dedicated to using her multimedia skills to inspire positive change and advance the journalistic landscape.

Fauziyya Kabir Tukur is a seasoned journalist with over ten years’ experience in digital journalism. She has covered and investigated disinformation campaigns for the BBC across Africa particularly in Nigeria, the Sahel, Somalia and Russia using Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT).
Ms. Tukur has attended courses on the rise of Artificial Intelligence at Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence in San Francisco and has participated in workshops at NYC Media Lab showcasing AI tools that aid in Open-Source Intelligence investigations. She worked for the BBC World Service for five years as a bi-lingual multimedia reporter and presenter for the Hausa service and the Focus on Africa program. She was also the project coordinator and production lead for the Hausa Service’s annual writing contest for women, Hikayata - a prestigious award that is conferred to young women writers annually by the BBC to encourage and promote Hausa literature among the youth.
Fauziyya is a 2023 fellow of the United States’ World Press Institute. She is also a co-chair for the BBC's Global Women in News (GWiN), a global network that supports, connects and mentors women who work in news, all around the world. She also serves on the board of Pink Arena Foundation, a non-profit organization that caters to women empowerment in Nigeria. She has attended leadership and editorial courses in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States. She holds a Masters in Communication and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science.