NOA, INEC Forge Stronger Alliance to Enhance Voter Education and National Reorientation
In a significant step toward revitalising civic consciousness and improving electoral participation, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. The visit marks a renewed drive to deepen institutional collaboration between the two agencies in fostering national reorientation and enhancing voter education across the country.
During the meeting, Issa-Onilu lauded INEC for its consistent role in managing Nigeria’s democratic process, while acknowledging the delay in establishing formal contact since his appointment. He attributed the delay to the need to first reposition and reenergise the NOA internally, describing the agency as previously underutilised due to years of neglect.
Reflecting on his early days in office, the NOA boss admitted that he initially questioned the relevance of the agency. However, he quickly discovered a corps of committed and patriotic staff, prompting him to focus first on restoring purpose, structure, and morale within the agency.
“National development cannot thrive on infrastructure alone. Without emotional and psychological connection to the country, even the best infrastructure will not yield the desired results,” Issa-Onilu stated.
He reiterated NOA’s dual mandate of disseminating government policies and promoting value reorientation and national identity. With a nationwide structure comprising offices in all 774 local government areas, the 36 states, and the FCT, he said NOA is uniquely positioned to drive mass public engagement and collect grassroots feedback to inform government policies.
Underscoring the importance of patriotism, Issa-Onilu noted it cannot be imposed by law but must be nurtured organically. He advocated for a stronger partnership with INEC to make voter education more participatory and emotionally resonant.
To this end, he announced the expansion of NOA’s internal departments from 12 to 16, with the addition of a new Civic, Value, and Democracy Education Department aimed at addressing the civic knowledge gap, especially among Nigerian youth.
He also decried the impact of misinformation during the 2023 general elections, particularly on social media platforms, and proposed collaborative voter education campaigns that leverage youth-focused platforms like CLHEEAN and the entertainment-driven NOA Halkathon. Despite NOA’s extensive reach, Issa-Onilu lamented the lack of a dedicated democracy education budget, arguing that the agency is best suited to handle nationwide civic and voter education while INEC focuses on election management.
In his response, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu commended NOA’s renewed energy and strategic vision under Issa-Onilu’s leadership. He praised the agency’s adoption of modern communication tools such as NOA TV, radio, and AI-driven platforms.
Prof. Yakubu pledged INEC’s readiness to expand its collaboration with NOA, particularly in reaching underserved and marginalised groups, including women, youth, and persons with disabilities. He also reaffirmed NOA’s role in key electoral committees such as the Interagency Consultative Committee on Election Security and the restructured National Committee on Voter Education and Publicity (NICVEP).
Highlighting the importance of the upcoming elections and the nationwide continuous voter registration exercise scheduled for August, the INEC Chairman called on NOA to support efforts in mobilising citizens and boosting voter participation across the country.