Sustainability study of Radio Ndarason in Chad and Nigeria

Radio Ndarason Internationale Radio Ndarason International (RNI) is a regional radio network based in the Lake Chad Basin (LCB) area. With production and broadcast facilities in Chad and Nigeria, it uses local indigenous languages (Kanuri, Kanembu and Buduma) to counter violent extremism and disinformation, and promote sustainable development. Ndarason interacts with approximately 9.6 million listeners daily. Ndarason broadcasts three hours a day on shortwave throughout the LCB, and 24 hours a day on its FM network. Its FM stations are in Maiduguri in Nigeria, Baga Sola, Bol, Mao, Liwa, Ngouri, Doum Doum and N'Djamena in Chad. Ndarason is operated by Okapi Consulting, a non-profit company registered in South Africa, specializing in media projects in conflict zones and fragile states. Okapi Consulting has established branches in Chad and Nigeria that are implementing the RNI project. RNI employs nearly 80 people, 95% of whom are from the region. RNI was launched in 2016 to reach out to the people of the LCB affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. Under British and US funding, RNI made its debut in Maiduguri, broadcasting only on shortwave, with a signal picked up throughout the LCB. Since then, it has grown in stages. Initially operating only with a studio and a team in Maiduguri, it expanded to Chad, with the establishment of the radio headquarters in N'Djamena in 2018 under Dutch funding. Since then, AFD joined RNI's donor group in 2019 with funding on Nigeria and Chad, and Switzerland for the period 2022 – 2025 for the same countries. The FM network around Lake Chad on the Chad side was established step by step between 2018 and 2021 thanks to AFD and Dutch funding. In 2023, RNI launched FM in Maiduguri, making it easier for the 3 million residents of the LCB's largest city to access RNI. In 2023, the German federal government granted funding to Okapi Consulting for the expansion of the network in Niger and Cameroon, where teams with local staff are in place in Diffa and Maroua. The Cameroon and Niger facilities are now closed. Objective of the radio: Since it began broadcasting, RNI's main goal has been: To improve the lives of the people of the Lake Chad Basin (men and women) through access to reliable information and the ability to make their voices heard by decision-makers. Background The violent insurgency that has affected the entire LCB region is now entering its second decade. Progress has been made in creating and unifying regional military efforts to combat Boko Haram and its branches, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), and JAS, including through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). However, the overwhelming focus on security responses to the insurgency has meant that the fundamental issues fuelling the violence remain largely unresolved. These problems are multiple but can be summarized as follows: 1. Weak state presence in insurgency-affected areas, especially in remote border areas. Non-state actors like Boko Haram have taken advantage of this sense of marginalization, attempting to win over the population by propagating and, in some cases, imposing a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam that rejects democracy and the nation-state in favour 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 capitals. The Lake Chad Basin states have failed to contain armed groups operating in their peripheries, whether jihadist or otherwise. Non-state armed groups have exploited state weakness.

3. The challenges are long-term, but the threats are immediate : Meeting the socio-economic needs and requirements of the people living in the Lake Chad Basin is a long-term challenge for governments in the region. While conditions cannot be changed quickly, governments can and should try to regain the trust of their people. ISWAP has become increasingly savvy about how to win the support of local people. Unlike Boko Haram, it has worked to address gaps in service delivery and other grievances of local people – by providing social services and allowing economic activities to continue. This strengthened its ties with the populations while facilitating the recruitment of fighters. This represents a new challenge for the Nigerian state and its neighbours Chad, Cameroon and Niger. 4. Poor civil-military relations: Mutual distrust between military and civilian populations prevents dialogue, undermines understanding and cooperative problem-solving. Bringing together senior army officers – on air – with the people they are mandated to protect offers an opportunity to dismantle the rumour and create a dialogue of understanding. Information and dialogue can counter instability and extremism. The role of RNI The complex issues at stake in the Lake Chad region require a global and long-term vision. It will take time to address these many challenges, even with the help