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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Newly installed Chair of the International Communication Association (ICA) Nigeria Chapter, Professor Desmond Okocha, has unveiled an ambitious agenda at the chapter’s inaugural National Conference on March 24-25, 2026, hosted by Nile University of Nigeria. Targeting ICA presence in at least 100 universities by the end of his tenure.
Okocha—a Professor of Digital Journalism and Applied Communication, pioneer Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies at Bingham University, member of the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE), pioneer Chair of the United Nations Association of Nigeria (UNAN) Abuja Branch, and widely recognised scholar-practitioner of the Third Wave in communication studies—positioned the chapter as a catalyst for Nigerian-led scholarship amid global communication shifts.
In his acceptance speech during the leadership transition from Founding Chair, Dr. Ekaete George (University of Port Harcourt), Okocha declared: “Assuming the lofty position of Chair of the International Communication Association—Nigeria Chapter is not a personal accolade but a collective milestone for all of us who believe communication scholarship can reinforce Nigeria’s democratic experiments, amplify its cultural pluralities, and repair civic dialogue under conditions of uneven infrastructure.” He outlined three commitments: prioritizing students and early-career scholars; ensuring public relevance; and fostering collaboration. “We envision having ICA presence in at least 100 universities before the end of my tenure,” he pledged.
“We will institutionalise ICA-aligned workshops—qualitative rigor, computational text analysis, ethics in fieldwork—while formalising mentorship exchanges among universities in the North, South-West, South-East, and the Middle Belt. Given Nigeria’s asymmetries in research funding and internet access, the chapter must actively enfold emerging scholars from Maiduguri to Calabar rather than await their approach.”
Okocha continued: “Our analyses and research findings cannot abide only in journals. We will translate findings on health messaging, misinformation economies, and Nigeria’s hybrid media-policy arena into policy briefs, podcasts, and townhall dialogues… I propose an annual ‘Communication and Society’ forum rotated beyond Abuja and Lagos—Kaduna, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Benin, Jos—so multilingual realities (Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Pidgin, English) shape our agenda.”
On collaboration, he vowed: “We will sponsor projects that cross linguistic and religious contexts, that convene regulators, newsrooms, and civil-society watchdogs, and that tether our chapter to ICA’s global divisions while staying rooted in local debates over decolonising communication theories and praxis.”
The conference, themed “Global Communication Shifts and Implications for Africa,” celebrated the chapter’s 3rd anniversary since its 2023 launch. Dr. George set the tone in her opening remarks: “Three years ago, on March 24, 2023, several communication scholars and practitioners gathered… to witness the establishment of a regional chapter of the International Communication Association (ICA) in Nigeria. In that moment, a pilot initiative began… Today, three years later… we gather to open a new page in our regional chapter. This conference is both a beginning and a celebration.”
Nile University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dilli Dogo, represented by Dr. Jacob Suemo, welcomed participants: describing the venue as a “vibrant hub of academic excellence and innovation” and the event as a “clarion call to reimagine Africa’s place in the global communication landscape.” ICA President Prof. Thomas Hanitzsch and REACH Chair Prof. Noshir Contractor joined Fellows like Profs. Srivi Ramasubramanian, Dominique Brossard, and Raka Shome, plus chapters from Kenya, India, and Indonesia.
Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris represented by DG News Agency of Nigeria Director General Ali M. Ali, and Press Council Executive Director Dr. Dili Ezughah urged media advancement. Keynotes from Prof. Yakubu Ozohu-Suleiman, Yop Rwang Pam, and others fueled discussions, alongside 40+ papers and a panel chaired by ICA Kenya’s Prof. AgnesLucy Lando: “Is Africa Ready for ICA26?”
Partners including WABMA and universities like Bingham, Calabar, and Nasarawa drove the hybrid event. ICA Nigeria is set to host its 2nd conference in March 2027.
