From Umar Danladi Ado, Sokoto
A former Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Kuka Usman Sheka (retd.), has stressed that effective use of social media remains critical to strengthening governance, enhancing transparency, and promoting government initiatives at all levels.
Sheka stated this at the closing ceremony of a three-day capacity-building training for Information Officers in Sokoto State, organised by the Ministry of Information and Orientation in collaboration with Khadilad Support Services Limited. The programme was held at Dan Kane Guest Palace, Sokoto.
Citing recent statistics, the retired military spokesman noted that as of January 2025, Nigeria had an estimated 38.7 million active social media users, with youths accounting for 16 per cent of the figure.
He said the data underscores the influence of digital platforms in shaping public perception and citizen engagement.
Delivering a presentation titled “Leveraging Social Media for Public Communication and Social Media Influencing for Public Communication,” Kuka Sheka urged government information handlers to maximise the opportunities available on digital platforms to engage citizens and publicize policy actions.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of Khadilad Support Services Limited, Muhammad Nasir Ladan, commended the resource persons for what he described as insightful and impactful sessions.
He encouraged participants to deploy the knowledge gained to improve government communication systems and public service delivery.
Another resource person, Yusha’u Shuaibu, appealed to the state government to sustain and expand capacity-building programmes for information officers and social media influencers.
He said continuous training would strengthen awareness and visibility of government policies, programmes, and achievements under Governor Ahmad Aliyu.
Certificates were presented to participants at the end of the programme.