On October 23, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Sunday Akin Dare as Special Adviser on Public Communication and Orientation. Dare, who previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Youth and Sports from 2019 to 2023, brings a wealth of experience from both the public and media sectors to this critical role.
Dare’s prior government roles include his tenure as Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) from 2016 to 2019. During this time, he was instrumental in managing the NCC’s engagement with various public and private sector stakeholders, contributing to advancements in Nigeria’s communications landscape.
Dare has a longstanding working relationship with President Tinubu, having previously served as his Chief of Staff and Special Adviser on media when Tinubu led the All Progressives Congress (APC). In 2009, he also held the position of Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Information and Communications, where he played a key role in public information management and media policies for the ministry.
Before his involvement in Nigerian politics, Dare built a distinguished career in journalism. Between 2001 and 2009, he led the Hausa Service of the African Division at Voice of America (VOA) in Washington, DC, overseeing daily radio and online broadcast programs that catered to audiences across West Africa. His journalistic leadership at VOA earned him recognition, including a Meritorious Honor Award in 2009 for his impactful work in making the Hausa program one of the most influential in the region.
Dare’s extensive media experience also includes his time as a correspondent for The Nation magazine in New York and as production editor for the European-backed Fourth Estate magazine during Nigeria’s military rule. He was also a founding member of The News and Tempo magazines, which were known for their fearless reporting during turbulent political times.
Academically, Dare is well-credentialed. He holds a master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Jos and a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Ahmadu Bello University. He has also undertaken various prestigious fellowships and programs at institutions such as the London School of Economics, Oxford University, Harvard University, and New York University, further strengthening his expertise in strategic communications and media studies.
In addition to his governmental and media career, Dare is also an accomplished author. His published works include Making a Killing – The Business of War (2003), which won the Sigma Delta Chi Online Research Award from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Guerrilla Journalism: Dispatches from the Underground (2007). He has also written extensively on the impact of social media on African journalism in his book We Are All Journalists – Africa in the Age of Social Media (2011), which was approved as academic research by Oxford University.
Dare has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including a special citation from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in New York for his courage in covering political developments under Nigeria’s military dictatorships. He has also been honored with multiple awards from Voice of America, recognizing his leadership and contributions to international broadcasting.
With this new appointment, Sunday Dare will be at the forefront of shaping public communication and national orientation strategies for the Tinubu administration, a role that will leverage his extensive experience in both media and governance.
