Foreign Affairs Ministry Appoints ACOE Member Raphael Oni as SA on Digital Diplomacy

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, has approved the appointment of Raphael Oni, a member of the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE), as Special Assistant on Digital and Public Diplomacy.

The appointment is part of the reorganisation of the minister’s media team to strengthen communication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ mandate and the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Oni, a diplomatic correspondent and publisher, will serve alongside Richard Elesho, who was appointed Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communications.

The Ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, announced the appointments, saying the new media team was expected to support effective communication of the ministry’s activities and enhance its public engagement.

The two appointees, according to the ministry, bring extensive experience in journalism, public affairs, government communication and media management.

Oni has more than 15 years of experience covering diplomacy, government communication, public diplomacy and international relations.

He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Abuja and has worked extensively as a diplomatic correspondent and photojournalist.

He has also been the publisher of Diplomats Extra Magazine*l since 2013, a publication focused on diplomacy and international affairs with readership among government ministries, departments and agencies, diplomatic missions and other stakeholders.

Oni previously served two terms as Secretary-General of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN) and was also Secretary-General of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents Chapel, Abuja.

His appointment is expected to draw on his experience in diplomatic reporting and international affairs as the ministry seeks to strengthen its digital communication and public diplomacy efforts.

Elesho, the other appointee, is a graduate of Delta State University, Abraka, and Kogi State University, Anyigba.

He previously served as Chief Press Secretary and Director-General, Media Affairs, to former Kogi State governors Ibrahim Idris and Idris Wada.

Until his appointment, he was the North Central Bureau Chief of *The News/PM News*, where he had been involved in news reporting and media management.

The ministry said the appointments were aimed at enhancing the communication of Nigeria’s foreign policy priorities and ensuring effective engagement with the public and other stakeholders.

The new media team is expected to work with the ministry’s existing communication structures to project Nigeria’s foreign policy interests, strengthen public understanding of diplomatic initiatives and improve the country’s engagement across digital platforms.