The news about the passing of Mustapha Ahmed, Production Manager of Lavun Community Radio, Kutigi Niger State, and a participant in the Nigeria Media Innovation Program (NAMIP), on 13 September 2025 is most heartbreaking. Not only to his family and Lavun Radio, but to the entire Nigerian media ecosystem.
As the key change driver of Lavun Radio’s innovation and participation in NAMIP, Mustapha was able to drive the kind of demonstrable institutional change which could serve as a blueprint for the sustainability of community radio in Nigeria and other parts of the continent. From renewed board efficiency to inclusive content strategies, community engagement and multiple revenue initiatives, Mustapha was able to lead the resurgence of a struggling community initiative.
Reflecting on Mustapha’s time collaborating with NAMIP, Bilal Randeree, MDIF Chief Program Officer, said:
“Mustapha was deeply committed to his work and to the mission of independent media. He believed in the power of storytelling to strengthen communities and empower citizens, and he brought that belief to life every day through his work at Lavun Community Radio. His passing is a great loss, not only to his colleagues, audiences and community in Niger State, but to the broader network of independent media practitioners across Nigeria who share his vision and dedication.”
However, that wasn’t the most unique thing about Mustapha. What stood out most was his character. His calm, friendly and kind disposition. He was always respectful, ready to learn and to help others. He was often busy and on the move, sacrificing his time to multiple causes. He lived that way to the end.
Mustapha was a good colleague to many in the NAMIP cohort, and this is evident in the words of Abdullateef Jos, CEO of Solacebase, a media organization and fellow NAMIP participant:
“He was a committed young journalist that was always concerned with how to use his radio production talent to impact positively on the people with his community reportage. A very respectful young man that was mostly willing to learn new frontiers. With my short knowledge of him in the last three years as a colleague and a cohort at NAMP’s program, he was very honest and friendly. May his gentle soul rest in peace.”
Our hearts, wishes and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues.