African Universities Urged to Embrace Digital Communication Innovation

Written by Olanrewaju Ogundeyi

Communication scholar Prof. Motsaathebe Gilbert has called on African universities and organisations to rethink how they engage stakeholders in the digital era, warning that failure to adapt to emerging technologies could threaten organisational survival.

Prof. Gilbert made the call while delivering a virtual keynote address at the maiden Departmental Lecture Series organised by the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Arts, Management and Social Sciences, Koladaisi University, Ibadan, Oyo State, themed “Town-Gown Synergies: Fostering Collaborative Relationships.” He spoke extensively on the topic, “Navigating the Digital Landscape Through Corporate Communication Management Strategies.” In his presentation, he examined the profound transformation of corporate communication in the era of artificial intelligence, social media, big data, and virtual communication platforms.

Addressing university administrators, scholars, students, and communication professionals, Prof. Gilbert stressed the importance of strengthening collaboration among African institutions rather than relying heavily on Western models of knowledge production and communication practice. “We appreciate this camaraderie because, as African institutions, it is more crucial than ever before that we look inward when coming to this sort of collaboration,” he said. “Our obsessions with the West have not yielded anything other than ensuring that African institutions become mere extensions of Western institutions.”

Referencing French philosopher Michel Foucault, he added that African institutions must develop solutions rooted in their own realities and experiences. He explained that communication in modern organisations is no longer a routine administrative function but a strategic tool that determines organisational survival, competitiveness, and public trust. According to him, advances in artificial intelligence, social media, mobile technologies, cloud communication systems, and big data analytics have fundamentally reshaped the communication landscape across sectors such as education, healthcare, finance, commerce, and government. “The emergence of digital technologies has reshaped corporate communication in unprecedented ways,” he said, noting that organisations are now expected to communicate rapidly, transparently, and interactively across multiple digital platforms.

Prof. Motsaathebe observed that digitalisation has shifted communication from a one-way dissemination of information to a multidirectional process in which stakeholders actively shape organisational narratives through comments, reviews, hashtags and user-generated content. “Organisations no longer possess complete control over their public image,” he said, describing the phenomenon as “tilting the scales” in favour of consumers and stakeholders.

A major part of the lecture focused on the growing influence of social media in corporate communication management. Prof. Gilbert identified platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X and YouTube as powerful tools for brand storytelling, audience engagement and community building. He explained that organisations increasingly use podcasts, blogs, livestreams and short-form videos to strengthen emotional connections with audiences and improve visibility in the digital space.

However, he warned that social media also presents serious reputational risks. “Social media activism has significantly increased stakeholder power,” he said. “Stakeholders can mobilise online campaigns against organisations perceived to engage in unethical behaviour.” He cautioned organisations against superficial engagement with social issues, often referred to as “woke washing,” stressing that communication strategy must align with genuine organisational values and actions.

Prof. Gilbert also highlighted the growing complexity of crisis communication in the digital age. He noted that online crises can spread globally within minutes through viral videos, misinformation, and social media backlash. “A single social media post can trigger major reputational crises,” he said, urging organisations to adopt proactive digital crisis communication strategies based on transparency, accountability, and empathy.

He further warned about the dangers of misinformation, fake news and cyber-related reputational threats, saying organisations must continuously monitor digital conversations and respond swiftly to false information. Reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the scholar said the global health crisis accelerated digital transformation and forced organisations to rely heavily on virtual communication platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Google Meet.

While virtual work environments offer flexibility and improved collaboration, he noted that they also create challenges, including employee isolation, weakened organisational culture, and communication gaps. “Employee engagement is particularly important in digital workplaces,” he said. “Leaders must communicate clearly, transparently and empathetically to maintain employee trust and morale.”

Prof. Gilbert additionally expressed concern over the marginalisation of Indigenous African languages in digital communication spaces, arguing that online algorithms continue to favour colonial languages at the expense of local African languages. Looking to the future, he predicted that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality and immersive digital platforms would continue transforming communication management globally.

Despite these technological advancements, he maintained that human-centred communication would remain essential. “Trust, empathy, accountability and authenticity will continue to influence stakeholder relationships significantly,” he concluded.

He urged African organisations and institutions to embrace continuous innovation, ethical responsibility, and stakeholder-centred communication strategies to achieve sustainable growth and long-term reputational resilience in the evolving digital landscape.