The Zoom meeting which was facilitated by the Tanzania High Commission Abuja, Nigeria aimed at initiating preliminary talks between the Voice of Nigeria (VON) and Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC). The meeting held on Tuesday, 3rd August, 2021 via Zoom at 11:00 AM Africa/Lagos time.

Dr. Ayub Rioba, Director General , TBC headed the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation team while Mr. Osita Okechukwu, Director General, VON headed the Voice of Nigeria team. H. E. Dr. Benson Alfred Bana, High Commissioner through the High Commission played the facilitator’s role. The High Commissioner seeks to use Kiswahili as a spring board to promote and strenghten Tanzania–Nigeria bilateral relations through the platform of media cooperation. 

The zoom meeting is expected to generate the pre-requisite information for more concrete steps and engagement between the Voice of Nigeria and Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation. After several meetings between High Commission and the Voice of Nigeria Lagos and the Headquarters in Abuja. The discovery of an acute shortage of staff at the Kiswahili language services, with only two staff to run the service. The High Commissioner initiated the conversation for collaboration between VON and TBC. Giving the comparative advantage of VON is English language broadcast while TBC more advanced in Kiswahili language broadcast, both organisation can support each other to address the challenges and consequently, strengthen the two media houses. Zoom meeting in themselves  may deliver very little but is a good starting point that should follow with physical interactions between the leadership of VON and TBC for concrete deliverables to be realised.

 Expected deliverables include but is not limited to (i) the expansion of the influence Kiswahili language and its acceptance as a common language in Nigeria and West Africa, and (ii) take Tanzania-Nigeria bilateral relations to greater height. Areas of collaboration identified include News, Programmes and Staff Exchange as well as training, knowledge and experience sharing in the area of business development among other things.

  • Mr. Ahaziah Suleiman, Executive Director News of VON leading the discussion on the VON side.
  • H. E. Dr Benson Bana, High commissioner leading his team at the meeting in the Conference Room at the Chancery.