Radio Ndarason International
Radio Ndarason International (RNI) is a regional radio network based in the Lake Chad Basin (LCB) area. With production and broadcasting facilities in Chad and Nigeria, it uses local indigenous languages ​​(Kanuri, Kanembu, and Buduma) – the only media outlet to do so – to combat violent extremism and disinformation, and to promote sustainable development. Ndarason interacts daily with approximately 9.6 million listeners. Ndarason broadcasts three hours a day on shortwave across the LCB and 24 hours a day on its FM network. Its FM stations are located in Maiduguri, Nigeria; Baga Sola; Bol; Mao; Liwa; Ngouri; Doum Doum; and N’Djamena, Chad.
Ndarason is operated by Okapi Consulting, a South African-registered non-profit organization specializing in media projects in conflict zones and fragile states. Okapi Consulting has established branches in Chad and Nigeria, which implement the RNI project. RNI employs nearly 80 people, 95% of whom are from the region.
RNI was launched in 2016 to reach the populations of the BLC (Burundi Central League) affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. Funded by the UK and the US, RNI debuted in Maiduguri, broadcasting exclusively on shortwave, with its signal reaching across the entire BLC. Since then, it has grown in stages. Initially operating with just a studio and team in Maiduguri, it expanded into Chad, establishing the radio station’s headquarters in N’Djamena in 2018 with Dutch funding. The French Development Agency (AFD) joined RNI’s donor group in 2019 with funding for Nigeria and Chad, and Switzerland has committed to funding the same countries for the period 2022–2025. This has allowed the teams in both countries to expand and offer more and more programming to listeners over the years. The FM network around Lake Chad on the Chadian side was established in stages between 2018 and 2021 thanks to funding from the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Netherlands. In 2023, RNI launched FM broadcasting in Maiduguri, providing access to RNI for the 3 million residents of Lake Chad’s largest city. Also in 2023, the German federal government provided funding to Okapi Consulting for network expansion in Niger and Cameroon, where teams comprised of local staff were based in Diffa and Maroua. The stations in Cameroon and Niger have since closed.
Objective of the radio station:
Since it began broadcasting, RNI’s main goal has been: Improving the lives of people in the Lake Chad Basin (men and women) through access to reliable information and the ability to make their voices heard by decision-makers.
Context
The violent insurgency that has plagued the entire BLC region is now entering its second decade. Progress has been made in establishing and unifying regional military efforts to combat Boko Haram and its affiliates, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), and the JAS, including through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). However, the overwhelming focus on security responses to the insurgency has left the fundamental problems fueling the violence largely unresolved. These problems are numerous but can be summarized as follows:
1. Weak state presence in areas affected by the insurgency, particularly in isolated border areas. Non-state actors like Boko Haram have taken advantage of this feeling of marginalization, attempting to win over the population by spreading and, in some cases, imposing a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam that rejects democracy and the nation-state in favor of religious caliphates.
2. A region of fragile states : The countries bordering Lake Chad are fragile states, with porous borders and, in some cases, a marginal government presence beyond the capital cities. The states of the Lake Chad Basin have failed to contain armed groups operating in their peripheries, whether jihadist or otherwise. Non-state armed groups have exploited the weakness of these states.
3. The challenges are long-term, but the threats are immediate : Meeting the socio-economic needs and demands of the people living in the Lake Chad Basin is a long-term challenge for the region’s governments. While conditions cannot be changed quickly, governments can and must try to regain the trust of their people. ISWAP has become increasingly adept at gaining the support of local populations. Unlike Boko Haram, it has worked to address gaps in service delivery and other grievances of local communities—by providing social services and enabling the continuation of economic activities. This has strengthened its ties with the population while also facilitating the recruitment of fighters. This presents a new challenge for the Nigerian state and its neighbors Chad, Cameroon, and Niger.
4. Poor Civil-Military Relations: Mutual distrust between military and civilian populations hinders dialogue, undermines understanding, and hinders cooperative problem-solving. Bringing senior military officers together—on air—with the people they are mandated to protect offers an opportunity to dispel rumors and foster constructive dialogue. Information and dialogue can counter instability and extremism.
The role of RNI
The complex issues at stake in the Lake Chad region require a comprehensive and long-term vision. Addressing these numerous challenges will take time, even with the support of international actors. However, there is room for immediate interventions to begin creating space for peaceful dialogue and interaction between communities, and to foster a deeper understanding of the issues at the local level among the affected populations. Local religious, traditional, and community leaders can help offer alternative perspectives on Islam and its role in society. Their voices and opinions must be given prominence. Armed groups and criminals seek to divide populations and fuel instability, which benefits their operations but has a dramatic impact on the well-being of local communities, both in the short and long term.
Dialogue helps prevent and reduce conflict and fosters deeper understanding between communities. The wider the reach of a radio service, the larger and more diverse the number of participants in the dialogue. Because conflict is not confined to a single country, discussions about how to resolve it should not be either. It is in this space that a regional radio station can intervene and have a lasting impact. Radio reflects the concerns, realities, and issues of the moment and can give a voice to the voiceless. It encourages and supports dialogue, exchange, and understanding. Credible information is essential in conflict situations. The people of the Lake Chad Basin need objective, reliable, and regular information on current events and news, as rumors, misinformation, and a lack of reliable information in relevant local languages ​​fuel conflict. RNI brings together isolated groups who do not usually communicate with each other and allows them to find common ground on issues that might otherwise divide them. This also allows those who are not usually voiced to express their fears, concerns, and hopes for the future using a medium that can reach and is taken seriously by politicians and leaders. RNI is also a supplementary support tool for larger-scale regional initiatives led by actors such as the EU, the UN, the AU, the LCBC, and others. Given the long-term communication challenges of the MFF and the CBLT, RNI is well-positioned as a platform for dialogue among all stakeholders.
RNI offers diverse programming: national and regional news in the three broadcast languages, programs on health, education, and gender issues. It also features talk shows, programs on peace and Islam, as well as on reconciliation and the reintegration of disarmed combatants. The two national stations in Chad and Nigeria also offer interactive programs. Complete FM and shortwave schedules are in Appendix 2.
Broadcasting infrastructure
Shortwave and FM
RNI’s broadcast infrastructure ensures that all areas of the BLC have direct access to RNI programming, with a signal covering an area from Dakar to Khartoum. FM ensures that populations in key regions have access to RNI programs at any time of day and to content specifically produced in their immediate area and targeted to their needs.
RNI broadcasts daily on shortwave for three hours a day – 120 minutes in the morning and 60 minutes in the evening; these are peak hours in a region with a long and continuous tradition of listening to shortwave, including programs from Deutsche Welle, Radio France Internationale, and the British Broadcasting Corporation. Shortwave is particularly useful in areas where communication infrastructure is weak or nonexistent, of which the Lake Chad Basin is a prime example. RNI’s shortwave broadcasts are immune to interference due to their offshore location, making the programming safe from external interference.
In areas with reasonably developed infrastructure, particularly in urban settings, FM transmitters tend to be a better way to broadcast to a target audience. FM covers a much smaller target area than SW, but with a higher-quality audio signal. FM transmitters also allow for the broadcasting of content targeted to the country where the transmitter is located—content tailored to the local population, as in Chad and Nigeria.
Results obtained
Okapi Consulting conducted its latest audience survey across Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger from September to November 2025, polling 5,000 people. Here are the key findings.
- 94% of respondents believe that Ndarason’s new programs provide reliable information
- 82% of respondents believe that Ndarason allows them to effectively inform decision-makers
- 74% of respondents believe that Ndarason gives them ideas to improve gender equality in their family or community
In Africa and the BLC region, radio remains by far the most widely used tool for people to access information and entertainment. The figures for different countries are also revealing, particularly in Chad and Nigeria, where Ndarason has been operating for almost ten years, where 73% and 82% listen four or more times a week respectively, while in Cameroon and Niger, where RNI did not broadcast on FM, the corresponding figures are 48% and 55% respectively.
Context for this study
After eight years on the air, and in an increasingly challenging global context for the media, as well as for public development aid, the radio station is embarking on a new phase: ensuring its sustainability. This is a crucial step, as the radio station is important to its listeners and must meet the challenges of transforming into an independent media outlet. To this end, the French Development Agency (AFD) and Okapi Consulting deemed it essential to seek expertise in developing a study that will provide a multidimensional assessment of the existing structure, answer key questions in this process, and propose several concrete and formalized options and strategies for ensuring the sustainability of RNI (Radio National Inter-Channel). These strategies will focus on cost control, empowering Okapi’s national and regional teams, and structuring the RNI network.
Throughout its existence, Ndarason has been both a functioning radio station and a journalism school. No staff members in Chad, and only a few in Nigeria, were journalists before joining the station. “Learning by doing” was therefore a preferred operating method for OC during the two previous funding phases. Consequently, all 90 journalists and technicians were trained by external trainers and expatriate staff. Considerable progress has been made in strengthening the skills of local staff and replacing expatriates with local professionals. However, the current context calls for continued efforts and support for local teams to equip them to manage the radio station in the future. This support will be provided through training in editorial management, human resources, project management, fundraising, and relations with authorities, as well as training their peers so they can, in turn, train others.
Key indicative questions that will guide the consultants’ deliberations
- A key question concerns RNI’s future funding. Given the decline in global development aid, it can no longer be relied upon to support operations in the coming years. What alternative sources of funding can be found to support RNI’s operations going forward? How can its existing broadcast and studio infrastructure be leveraged to generate revenue for RNI? What other options exist?
- One question concerns the size of the RNI’s operations. How many staff will a future regional structure need, what will the profile of this staff be – international or national – and how many can it afford while maintaining the quality and relevance of the content? How can a structure be created that meets the needs of its listeners but is also financially viable?
- Will RNI remain a closely linked network with centralized content coordination as it is today, or could it become four independent stations sharing content? Which organizational structure makes the most sense in terms of listener needs and financial realities?
- Are there any partnerships that could strengthen RNI and other radio stations operating in the BLC area?
- Which structure is most likely to protect an independent editorial line and policy as well as the safety of RNI staff?
Methodology
This study will be conducted in close collaboration with the management teams of Okapi Consulting in South Africa, the editorial teams of RNI in Chad and Nigeria, as well as the administrative and financial teams in Chad and Nigeria. Okapi Consulting will provide historical project documents, as well as monitoring and evaluation studies and surveys carried out over the years. The Okapi Consulting team will be available to meet with the selected firm/individuals to brief them on the project outline. The study will also require an initial period of fieldwork in N’Djamena, Chad, and Maiduguri, Nigeria. The selected organization will also be expected to interact with local stakeholders in both countries, including, but not limited to, other NGOs and media organizations, local authorities in the Lake Chad region, donors, etc.
The presentation of the study to the directors of Okapi Consulting and the RNI management team will be followed by a discussion between the study’s authors and these teams. The study must also be presented to the AFD (Chad and Paris offices) for their consideration and feedback. The study must include an implementation plan with key milestones for implementing the strategy, taking into account the radio station’s budgetary situation.
Okapi Consulting is committed to supporting the study with a focus group exercise and a survey regarding listeners’ expectations for the sustainability of the radio station.
Indicative activities:
- Identify the most viable format in terms of structural and legal organization for the network and between the different country structures, as well as with Okapi Consulting.
- Determine the optimal RNI staffing level based on organizational options.
- Confirm training needs and evaluate training strategies to increase local capacity in project management, administration, and financial management.
- Identify the different sources of funding and develop a fundraising strategy within a global context of constraints on public development aid.
- Evaluate revenue generation opportunities through marketing research, for example via the sale of advertising time
- Assess the suitability of existing broadcasting infrastructure in relation to public needs
- Develop a strategy and implement the different steps towards the sustainability of RNI. Conduct a SWOT analysis of fundraising opportunities, including its potential as a regional center for combating disinformation.
Deliverables:
Deliverable 1: Study scoping note J+12
Deliverable 2: Interim report with 2 or 3 scenarios that answer the questions posed, including a fundraising plan, a revenue generation plan, an (informal) marketing study, and an assessment of the relevance of the current distribution network. (J+ 35-40)
Deliverable 3: Workshop discussion on these scenarios and report
Day 45-50
Deliverable 4: Drafting of the final report with all the elements listed below, including implementation strategy, organizational charts, training plan, and HR plan
J+ 60-75
- Strategy for implementing the sustainability process
- Organizational structure diagrams for a future RNI
- Training plan for RNI teams
- HR plan for a future RNI
- Fundraising plan for a future RNI
- Revenue-generating plan for a future RNI
- Overview of radio marketing opportunities
- Evaluation of the suitability of RNI’s current broadcast network for its listeners
How to apply
Timeline:
Proposal submission deadline: May 22, 2026
Contract signing date: June 5, 2026
Number of days: 50-75
Contract ends: October 1, 2026
Location of travel: N’Djamena, Chad and Maiduguri, Nigeria
Research expertise
- Excellent knowledge of radio station management in Africa and ensuring their sustainability
- Demonstrated ability to conduct analytical studies on radio projects in Africa
- Knowledge of the media landscape of the Lake Chad Basin
- Understanding the financial challenges facing African media
- In-depth knowledge of the legal and political issues surrounding the media in post-conflict areas in Africa.
- French and English
Please send your proposals, including the proposed methodology, CVs of team members, a budget, and a proposed schedule, to: stephanie@okapi.cc before May 22.
Budget
The budget for this study amounts to 50,000 Euros.
The selection will be based on:
- The organization’s experience in implementing similar activities: 30%
- The proposal for the implementation of the 35% project
- The financial proposal 35%