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Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, has been announced as the keynote speaker for the anniversary public conference of Lagos-based online newspaper, thegazellenews’.com.
The conference will be held on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lagos, by 10:00 am
The event will focus on the theme: “Guiding grassroots governance with public-private partnership: the pains, the challenges, the prospects
In a statement, the management of TheGazelleNews said the annual conference series was established to provide a platform for intellectual discourse and political conversations on critical national issues affecting Nigeria and its people.
The organizers noted that the conference, over the years, has attracted eminent personalities, politicians, academicians, media professionals, captains of industry and political stakeholders from across the country.
Management described Dare as a seasoned administrator, journalist and communications strategist whose extensive experience in governance and public service positions him to lead discussions on grassroots governance and the role of public-private partnerships in national development.
“The annual conference series was created to provide a platform for intellectual discourse and policy conversations on crucial national issues affecting the country and its people,” the statement read.
He further revealed that invited guests and participants from government institutions, media organisations, civil society groups and the private sector are expected.
Dare, a distinguished global and multimedia communications expert, author and public speaker, brings with him more than three decades of experience in journalism, governance, public policy and strategic communications.
He currently serves as Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, where he plays a central role in shaping and coordinating the administration’s public communications strategy.
Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for combining journalism, public policy and stakeholder management, while championing institutional reforms, digital innovation and youth empowerment initiatives.
Prior to his current role, Dare served as Minister of Youth and Sports Development from 2019 to 2023, where he introduced the Nigeria Sports Industry Policy (NSIP), widely known as the “Sports as Business” model.
He also led the implementation of a 10-year football master plan designed to reposition Nigerian football and launched the Adopt-an-Athlete initiative to strengthen the development of the sport.
Under his leadership, Nigeria recorded one of its most successful outings in major international sporting competitions, including the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics, achieving a total of 35 medals.
He also facilitated the creation of the $75 billion Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) to support youth entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
Dare previously served as the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) between 2016 and 2019, overseeing stakeholder engagement and overseeing key departments, including licensing and authorisations, legal and enforcement, and zonal operations.
He also previously served as Chief of Staff and Special Adviser on Media to Tinubu, managing media relations and political communications.
In the international media arena, Dare worked with Independent Communication Network Limited (ICNL), publisher of The News/Tempo/PM News, where he became editor-at-large of the company’s flagship publication, The News magazine. Dare was one of the protagonists of the media war against the military junta during the times of Babangida and the late Sanni Abacha and was active in guerrilla journalism of that era.
He spent nearly a decade at Voice of America, becoming head of the Hausa service. In this capacity, he led radio programs that reached an estimated audience of 28 million listeners per day across West Africa, while introducing modern IT tools into newsroom operations.
Academically, Dare attended Ahmadu Bello University, University of Jos, New York University, Harvard University and Oxford University. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Global Intelligence and Security.
TheGazelleNews management expressed confidence that Dare’s expertise in governance, media, public policy and strategic communications will enrich discussions at the anniversary conference and stimulate meaningful conversations on strengthening grassroots governance through effective public-private partnerships.
