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ISDI launches capacity-building arm, inaugurates Future-Ready Communicators Bootcamp

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The Impact Storytelling for Development Initiative (ISDI) has launched its capacity-building arm, the ISDI Academy, with the inaugural Future-Ready Communicators Bootcamp 1.0, equipping 25 emerging communicators with practical skills to communicate development more effectively.

The two-day Bootcamp, held in Kano on August 8 and 9, 2026, was themed “Stories That Matter. Skills for the Future.” It brought together communicators from diverse professional backgrounds for practical learning in development communication, storytelling, artificial intelligence (AI), visual communication and strategic communication.

The launch marks an important step in ISDI’s broader institutional vision of strengthening communication as a catalyst for sustainable development across Africa.

ISDI Academy is one of four institutional arms through which ISDI delivers its mandate. The other arms are the Impact Story Hub, which focuses on evidence-based impact storytelling and documentation; ISDI Conversations, which provides platforms for dialogue, knowledge exchange and engagement; and ISDI Advisory, which provides strategic communication and development communication support to institutions and organisations.

Speaking at the opening of the Bootcamp, Ibrahim Ayyuba Isah, Founder and Executive Director of ISDI, described the launch of the Academy as a significant milestone in the development of the organisation.

He said the Academy was established to create a practical learning platform where communicators can develop the knowledge, skills and confidence required to communicate development issues in an increasingly digital and rapidly changing environment.

The 25 participants in the inaugural cohort were selected from 227 applications, reflecting significant interest in the Academy’s focus on future-ready communication.

Isah encouraged participants to ask questions, challenge ideas, build relationships and learn from one another throughout the programme, while expressing appreciation to the facilitators and partners who supported the initiative.

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The Bootcamp featured sessions on Communication for Sustainable Development; Finding and Building Powerful Stories; AI for Today’s Communicator; and Visual Communication: Capturing Stories through Mobile Video and Photography for Development Communication.

Facilitators included Dr. Isah Nasidi of the Sahel Centre for Information, Media and Development Research (SCIMDER); Dr. Musa Abdullahi Sufi, CEO of SIDES Media; Nasiru Muhammad Auwal, Founder and CEO of Drone Forge Africa and AI strategist; Auwal Sani, ISDI Programmes Officer; and Sulaiman Abdullahi Danladi, Founder of AD Visuals and Creative Corner Community.

The programme also featured a Fireside Conversation on Purpose, Creativity and Leadership, led by Alhassan Hamza Hussaini, Advocacy and Campaign Officer at Plan International.

The Communicating for Impact Challenge provided participants with an opportunity to apply concepts and skills acquired during the Bootcamp to real development issues.

Speaking during the programme, Dr. Isah Nasidi said the Bootcamp was helping to address gaps in communication training by bringing professionals and academics together.

“What ISDI is doing is the right thing. It is trying to bridge the gap that has been disturbing us for years.”

Participants described the Bootcamp as practical, engaging and different from conventional training programmes.

Moshood Isah, a communications professional, public affairs and policy analyst, said the balance between theory and practical learning made the Bootcamp stand out, describing the experience as “eye-opening, impactful, and humbling.”

Sadiya Abdulaziz Muhammad, a voice-over artist and storyteller, said, “I came here and walked out of here as a different person,” while Habeeb Nabeellah Yakasai, a poet, said the practical sessions gave her greater clarity on using empathy in visual storytelling.

Aisha Habib Maigiwa, a journalist and Head of Corporate Communications Unit at Kano Internal Revenue Service, said the programme enabled her to move beyond her previous understanding of communication concepts and identified teamwork as one of her major takeaways from the Communicating for Impact Challenge.

The Bootcamp concluded with the presentation of certificates to the 25 participants in recognition of their successful participation. Certificates were also presented to the facilitators in appreciation of their contributions to the programme.

In his closing remarks, Isah thanked the partners, facilitators, participants and everyone who contributed to the success of the inaugural Bootcamp.

He called for continued collaboration among organisations, professionals and other stakeholders to strengthen development communication and support initiatives capable of creating meaningful and lasting impact in society.

“Our vision extends beyond training 25 participants. We are building a network of future-ready communicators who will strengthen the quality of development communication across Africa,” he said.

The inaugural Bootcamp marks the beginning of the ISDI Academy’s capacity-building programmes and its effort to build a growing community of ethical, innovative and impact-driven communicators equipped to produce evidence-based stories and contribute to positive social change.

 

Media Contact:
Mr Samuel Ohayagha
Impact Story Officer
ISDI
contact@isdiafrica.org

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Mahanga TV appoints former AREWA24 staff Zuwairiyah Girei as MD

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Mahanga TV, a Kano-based television station, has appointed former AREWA24 staff member Zuwairiyah Adamu Girei as its new Managing Director, bringing her more than 14 years of experience in Hausa-language television production and broadcasting to the organisation.

Girei was formally welcomed into her new role during a reception held at Mahanga TV’s premises in Kano on Monday, November 2, 2026, marking a new phase in the organisation’s growthe barely three months after its launch.

Speaking at the reception, Girei expressed excitement over her appointment, describing her experience at AREWA24 as a significant milestone in her professional journey.

She said she would draw on the knowledge and experience acquired during her time at the television station to strengthen Mahanga TV and drive it towards greater achievements.

“All the experience I have at AREWA24, I will bring here, and I think I will do extraordinary because I know what I have learnt there. I pray that we will see success beyond our expectations,” she said.

Outlining her vision for Mahanga TV, the new Managing Director said the organisation would look beyond Northern Nigeria and target audiences across Africa and the rest of the world.

She identified the large Hausa-speaking population as a major opportunity for the industry, noting that despite the challenges facing Hausa-language broadcasting, the sector has a substantial audience.

“We have over 60 million Hausa speakers in Nigeria, so I think we have a target audience we have to try to reach,” she said.

Girei said her leadership would focus on understanding audience expectations, introducing improvements and positioning Hausa productions for international recognition.

“Our thinking is pan-African; our thinking is the world. Our thinking is now how can Hausa film reach the Oscars. That is the thinking,” she said.

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Looking ahead to the next decade, she expressed her ambition to see Mahanga TV secure three to four Academy Awards, earn international recognition and become a household name among viewers across different age groups.

She said she envisioned a future where Mahanga TV would be the preferred television platform in homes, with both adults and children identifying with its programmes.

The Chief Executive Officer of Mahanga TV, Nuhu Abdullahi Balarabe, said Girei’s appointment was informed by the organisation’s rapid growth and the need for experienced leadership to sustain its progress.

Balarabe explained that he initially served as both Managing Director and CEO but decided to appoint a dedicated Managing Director to oversee the organisation’s daily operations and provide the leadership required to sustain its expanding activities.

He said the organisation needed someone who could provide consistent leadership and maintain its momentum as it continued to grow.

“She is well experienced, and I’m sure she will use that experience to take the organisation further from where it is,” he said.

Balarabe disclosed that Mahanga TV had recorded progress beyond its initial expectations within three months of launching, attributing the achievement to the dedication of its staff, consultants and advisers.

He said the organisation was expanding its content offerings through original productions and partnerships with independent producers to provide audiences with engaging programmes.

He also urged viewers to continue supporting the station and sharing feedback through its social media platforms and WhatsApp channel, assuring them that the organisation remained open to suggestions as it worked to improve its services.

Reaffirming the organisation’s broader ambition, Balarabe said Mahanga TV was committed to ensuring that Hausa stories, culture and experiences reached audiences across the world.

“We have a beautiful tale happening in Northern Nigeria, and I believe it is only we that can tell our own story. We want to make sure all our stories are told and they reach every part of the world,” he said.

Also speaking, Mahanga TV’s Creative Director and Brand Manager, Abdulbasit Abanikanda, described Girei’s appointment as a timely development that would strengthen the organisation’s management structure and provide better direction for its expanding workforce.

Abanikanda recalled that Mahanga TV started with a team of just three people but had since grown considerably, making the appointment of an experienced manager necessary to coordinate its activities.

He expressed confidence in Girei’s ability to advance the station’s creative vision, noting that her ambition of taking Hausa stories to audiences across the world aligned with the organisation’s objectives.

With Girei’s appointment, Mahanga TV aims to consolidate its early progress, strengthen its content production and expand the reach of Hausa storytelling, creating opportunities for Northern Nigeria’s stories, culture and creative talent to gain wider national and international recognition.

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Kano Governor Nominates Ex- Speaker, Spokesperson as Commissioners

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Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has nominated his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, and a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Balarabe Sa’idu Gani, for appointment as commissioners.

The governor has forwarded their names to the Kano State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.

The Assembly is expected to screen the nominees on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

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In a statement issued on Monday, the Assembly’s spokesperson, Kamaluddeen Sani Shawai, said the legislature had received a formal communication from Governor Yusuf requesting the screening of the two nominees.

He added that the exercise would be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Gani served as Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly from 2003 to 2007, while Bature currently serves as the governor’s spokesperson.

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2027: Rep Abubakar Kabir Bichi holds strategic meeting with Kano lawmakers

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The Chairman, House of representatives committee on appropriations Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi, has convened a meeting of all APC State Assembly Members and 40 Candidates in the upcoming 2027 General elections, led by the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Jibril Ismail Falgore.

Crucial issues were discussed on how best to coordinate their campaigns programs to deliver the APC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

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The meeting was held at his Bichi office, Sunday evening 1st November 2026.

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