BATMEDICS has appointed Mrs. Onyegbule Petra Akinti as its National Director, Research, Media and Strategic Communication.
The appointment was contained in a letter dated October 7, 2026, which said Akinti’s competence, professional track record and experience informed the organisation’s decision.
Under the appointment, Akinti will report directly to the Director General of BATMEDICS and oversee the organisation’s research, media and strategic communication functions.
What Akinti will oversee
The appointment letter assigned Akinti responsibility for developing and implementing communication and media strategies aligned with BATMEDICS’ mission, vision and objectives.
She will also oversee research design, data collection, analysis and dissemination of findings across the organisation’s programmes and initiatives.
Her media responsibilities include managing relations with the press, coordinating media engagements and overseeing public messaging on behalf of BATMEDICS.
The letter also assigns her a strategic advisory role, requiring her to provide communication counsel to the organisation’s senior leadership and Director General.
Akinti is further expected to lead, mentor and manage the Research, Media and Strategic Communication team while developing relationships with media partners, stakeholders and external audiences.
She will also monitor public discourse and advise BATMEDICS on reputational risks and opportunities, while ensuring that communication materials comply with the organisation’s brand guidelines and quality standards.
Appointment letter sets political engagement condition
A significant condition contained in the appointment letter concerns Akinti’s engagement with political parties outside BATMEDICS’ political alignment.
According to the letter, she is barred for the duration of her engagement with BATMEDICS from working with, consulting for, providing services to or otherwise engaging with any opposition political party, whether directly or indirectly and whether paid or unpaid.
The condition is part of the terms of her engagement as stated in the letter. The material supplied for this report does not specify which political parties BATMEDICS considers to be opposition parties.
The appointment comes as political organisations, support groups and communication professionals continue to take on increasingly visible roles ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 electoral cycle.
The Bureau Journal has been tracking the growth of political communication structures, including the emerging role of strategic communication in the 2027 political environment.
Other recent developments include the reported appointment of Kogi BAT Vanguard National Convener Olusola Olofin to a 2027 Presidential Campaign Council structure and the expansion of grassroots political mobilisation across Northern Nigeria.
Akinti’s professional background
Akinti has previously worked in political communication and public affairs. The Guardian reported in 2021 that she had served as Chief Press Secretary to former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello between 2016 and 2019, after previously serving as Senior Special Assistant on Electronic Media. The report also described her as a sociologist and political communications strategist.
Her professional profile also identifies her as a strategic communications and public affairs professional with experience across corporate, political and institutional environments.
Earlier records also show her involvement in advocacy and public-interest initiatives, including work associated with the Tiny Beating Hearts Initiative, which focuses on issues affecting premature babies and maternal health.
BATMEDICS expands communication responsibilities
The new role places research, media management and strategic communication under a single national directorate, according to the appointment letter.
Akinti’s responsibilities will therefore span both the production and analysis of research and the communication of BATMEDICS’ programmes and activities to the media, stakeholders and wider audiences.
The appointment letter did not state the duration of her engagement in the material reviewed for this report.
The development comes as political communication, media strategy and public engagement become increasingly prominent in preparations for the 2027 elections. The Bureau Journal will continue to monitor political appointments, campaign structures and other developments as the electoral cycle progresses.
Get breaking news and latest updates directly on WhatsApp
