Strategic Communication, Women’s Empowerment Key To National Security- NSA

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has declared that strategic communication and the empowerment of women are central to Nigeria’s peace, stability, and counterterrorism efforts, urging stakeholders to promote inclusive narratives that foster national cohesion and resilience.

Speaking on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Major General Adamu Laka, made this known at a high-level event commemorating International Women’s Day yesterday in Abuja, co-hosted with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

Quoting renowned poet Ntozake Shange — “Where there is a woman, there is magic” — Laka set the tone for a gathering that brought together top government officials, diplomats, development partners, and communication professionals.

He emphasised that this year’s theme, “Communicate to Balance, Gain Equity, Empower Women,” underscores the critical role of narratives in shaping national outcomes, particularly in complex security environments.

“The way narratives are constructed and shared can either deepen divisions or build bridges of trust, understanding, and cohesion,” he said.

According to Laka, the evolving nature of insecurity requires a shift from purely kinetic responses to preventive strategies anchored in inclusivity, gender balance, and community engagement.

“For us at the NCTC, sustainable security extends beyond force; it is grounded in preventive principles captured in our national frameworks for preventing and countering violent extremism,” he stated.

He stressed that women occupy strategic positions in society as peacebuilders, early-warning actors, and agents of positive change, insisting that their inclusion is indispensable to national stability.

“Lasting peace cannot be achieved through security institutions alone. It requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach involving civil society, professional bodies, and citizens,” he added.

Laka further highlighted the significance of the partnership with the NIPR, noting that public relations professionals play a crucial role in shaping credible narratives, countering misinformation, and strengthening public trust.

“Women are not only caregivers but leaders, mediators, educators, and builders of peace whose influence spans generations,” he said, calling for greater participation of women in governance and security processes.

In her keynote address, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, reinforced the centrality of communication to governance, declaring that no policy can succeed without effective dissemination and stakeholder engagement.

On his part, president of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr. Ike Neliaku, called for a paradigm shift in how society perceives and engages women, urging stakeholders to replace narratives of sympathy with those of empowerment.

“Fifty-two years ago, a song told women ‘don’t cry.’ Today, the world must tell women ‘lead, rise, and reshape the future,’” he said.

Neliaku traced the historical contributions of women, from pre-colonial African leaders to contemporary figures in governance, diplomacy, and business, asserting that women have always been active architects of societal progress.