2025 in Review: Sunday Dare, Tinubu’s Media Shield

The year 2025 proved to be a defining one for the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—and at the centre of the government’s public engagement, narrative defence and strategic communication stood Chief Sunday Akin Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications.

A journalist and communications expert with over three decades of experience, Dare emerged throughout the year as the administration’s most combative and consistent public voice, engaging critics at home and abroad, shaping the policy narrative, and defending reforms that tested national resolve.

Often described by political watchers as the Presidency’s “verbal first responder,” Dare wielded facts, data and institutional memory with precision, countering criticism while projecting confidence in the Tinubu government’s direction.

Security and Terrorism: Setting the Record Straight

One of Dare’s most prominent interventions in 2025 came in response to international claims of a so-called “Christian genocide” in Nigeria. Appearing on global and local media platforms, he firmly rejected the narrative, describing it as misleading and dangerous.

Dare consistently emphasized that Nigeria’s security challenge is rooted in terrorism and organized criminality, not religious persecution.

“Terrorism does not ask for your religion before it strikes. Christians, Muslims and people of all ethnic backgrounds are victims,” Dare said in multiple interviews.

He underscored President Tinubu’s resolve to dismantle terror networks and restore security, while calling for stronger international cooperation, particularly intelligence-sharing partnerships with the United States and allied nations. Dare noted that counter-terrorism efforts intensified in 2025, with improved coordination across security agencies and renewed diplomatic engagement on regional security.

Economic Reforms: Defending Tough Choices

The economy dominated public discourse in 2025, and Dare was at the forefront of explaining—and defending—the Tinubu administration’s reform agenda.

Across television interviews, press briefings and policy roundtables, he highlighted gains from what he described as “bold but unavoidable decisions,” particularly the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira.

According to Dare, the reforms delivered over $10 billion in savings, reduced fiscal leakages and boosted foreign reserves. He also pointed to a gradual moderation of inflation, which stood at 23.71 per cent in April 2025, alongside expanding social protection measures.

He disclosed that over 5.7 million households benefited from federal government cash transfer programmes during the year, aimed at cushioning vulnerable Nigerians from the short-term impact of reforms.

“Reforms are never painless, but the alternative—doing nothing—would have been catastrophic,” Dare repeatedly stressed.

Politics and Governance: Confronting the Opposition

Politically, 2025 was marked by heightened opposition attacks on the presidency, many of which Dare dismissed as lacking depth and coherence. In his words, critics offered “noise instead of alternatives.”

Dare confidently projected President Tinubu as a strong contender for a second term, insisting that the administration’s record would ultimately resonate with voters ahead of 2027.

He also addressed allegations of nepotism and regional bias, particularly in security appointments. In one widely circulated media appearance, Dare presented a breakdown of security leadership by region, showing that the North-West held the highest number of top security positions, countering claims of South-West dominance.

“Appointments are based on competence and national balance, not tribal sentiment,” he said.

Media Appearances: From Local Studios to Global Platforms

Throughout 2025, Dare maintained a strong media presence, appearing on local television networks, radio programmes, international news platforms and digital media spaces. He granted interviews to both Nigerian and foreign outlets, using each appearance to clarify policy, rebut criticism and project Nigeria’s position globally.

In Washington and other international settings, Dare spoke on Nigeria-US relations, economic reforms and security cooperation, insisting that despite policy shifts, Nigeria’s strategic partnerships remained “warm, stable and mutually beneficial.”

At home, he featured regularly on prime-time political programmes, press conferences and policy dialogues, often addressing breaking national issues—from protests and economic anxiety to governance reforms and institutional restructuring.

Other National Issues: Public Assets and Civic Responsibility

Beyond politics and economics, Dare condemned acts of vandalism against public infrastructure, including the destruction of an 80-bed government hospital in Oyo State, describing such acts as “self-sabotage.”

He also responded to criticism from socio-political groups, including Afenifere, dismissing allegations of poor performance by the administration as unfounded and selective, arguing that reforms require time to mature.

A Career Built for the Moment

Dare’s effectiveness in 2025 drew from a long career spanning journalism, public service and strategic communications. His résumé includes stints as Chief of the Hausa Service, African Division of the Voice of America in Washington, DC, Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and senior media advisory roles within government.

He is also the founder of the Social Media Clinic, a civic initiative promoting digital literacy and responsible media use.

His contributions have earned him global recognition, including the Voice of America Meritorious Honor Awardand the Reuters Foundation Journalism Research Fellowship.

The Year in Perspective

As 2025 draws to a close, Chief Sunday Dare stands out as one of the defining figures of the Tinubu administration’s public face—a relentless defender, skilled communicator and narrative enforcer at a time of profound national transition.

In a year marked by reform, resistance and recalibration, Dare remained unwavering, ensuring that the presidency’s voice was not only heard, but forcefully articulated—at home and on the global stage.