The Nigeria High Commission in the Republic of Rwanda on Thursday commended the Women Farmers Advancement Network, WOFAN, for its transformative impact on youth, women and farming communities.Exploring Travel Maps
The High Commission also described the WOFAN’s decision to champion strategic communication, digital innovation, artificial intelligence and peacebuilding as a demonstration of visionary leadership.
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Acting High Commissioner, Ambassador Ibrahim G. Zanna, made the commendation at the opening of the international training on “Strategic Communication: Integrating Digital and AI-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Leadership and Peacebuilding – Rwanda as a Case Study for Digital Transformation and Post-Conflict Reconstruction,” in Kigali, capital of Rwanda on Thursday.
Represented by Zerah Yemilo WAMINAJE, First Secretary, Political Information and Culture, Zanna praised WOFAN and its partner, Prospects Development Services, for convening a timely forum that addresses some of Africa’s most pressing development priorities.
He noted that an organisation renowned for empowering women, youth and farming communities has once again demonstrated its foresight by expanding the conversation to strategic communication, digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
SolaceBase reports that the high Commissioner further applauded WOFAN’s unwavering commitment to advancing women’s leadership, stressing that sustainable development cannot be achieved without the meaningful participation of women in decision-making.
He noted that the training would also encouraged participants to draw practical lessons from Rwanda’s remarkable journey in digital transformation, institutional development and post-conflict reconstruction, and to apply those experiences in strengthening governance, leadership and public service delivery across Africa.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote innovation, institutional partnerships and sustainable development, the High Commissioner pledged its continued collaboration with WOFAN in fostering stronger ties between Nigeria and Rwanda.
It expressed confidence that the three-day training would equip participants with practical knowledge and ethical leadership skills needed to harness digital technologies and artificial intelligence for inclusive development, peacebuilding and sustainable leadership.
In her welcome address, the Founder and Executive Director of WOFAN and global advocate for women and youth empowerment, Dr. Salamatu Garba, described the training as a unique opportunity for participants to learn from one another and draw valuable lessons from Rwanda’s remarkable transformation.
She noted that Rwanda’s journey from a troubled past to becoming a model of resilience, innovation and development offers practical lessons for institutions across Africa.Nigerian travel guide
She expressed WOFAN’s pride in partnering with Rwanda in promoting knowledge exchange and sustainable development.
Dr. Garba urged participants to approach the training with open minds and a commitment to applying the knowledge and skills acquired to their respective organisations and communities.
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She emphasized that the ultimate goal is to translate the lessons on strategic communication, digital innovation and artificial intelligence into tangible outcomes that strengthen leadership, institutional performance and sustainable development.
On his part, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Prospects Development Services (PDS) UK, Bayode Tokumbo Hambolu, introduced PDS as one of the United Kingdom’s leading strategic training hubs for executives and institutions. He highlighted the organisation’s commitment to delivering world-class professional development programmes, noting that its courses are accredited by the Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges and Universities (ASIC), one of the UK’s recognised accreditation bodies.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN), Professor Sani Miko, gave participants an overview of the organisation’s history, mission and vision.
He disclosed that WOFAN has empowered more than 675,000 women and youth smallholder farmers through capacity-building initiatives and has now expanded its mandate to reach 1.5 million smallholder farmers through enhanced training, information sharing and other empowerment programmes.
He added that the organisation has also facilitated thousands of smallholder farmers’ access to finance, enabling them to improve productivity and livelihoods.
One of the facilitators, Adrian Webb, Chairman of British technology company Outcome Path and a lecturer in AI ethics, said the first session focused on the importance of strategic communication in an era where artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how people and organisations communicate.
Webb said the key message of his session was that despite the rapid development of AI, communication remained fundamentally about people.
“The key highlight today was to get people to realise that really we are humans communicating with humans, whatever technologies we use,” he said.
He explained that strategic communication involves understanding how to influence perspectives and build better outcomes, making it an essential component of the work of organisations serving communities.
The participants comprise academics, media professionals, government executives, legislative staff, school administrators and teachers, all brought together to acquire practical knowledge in strategic communication, digital transformation and AI-driven innovation.
One of the participants, Chioma Perpetual, described the training as a valuable opportunity to gain practical knowledge on strategic communication, digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
She said the sessions on strategic communication and AI were particularly relevant in view of the growing influence of digital technologies on organisations and society.
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The training is expected to equip the participants with the skills required to drive meaningful change, enhance institutional effectiveness and create lasting impact within their various sectors.
Solace Base