A development-focused strategic communication specialist, Bowale Oluwaseun Odukale, has said Nigeria’s rapid digital growth, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has revealed a deeper national gap, with digital adoption outpacing digital literacy and public trust systems. Odukale, whose work spans university training, SME capacity-building, and public education initiatives, argues that institutions must move beyond publicity and embrace structured, literacy-driven engagement that helps citizens and businesses adopt digital tools safely and confidently.
He said the acceleration of digital adoption disrupted traditional business models and compelled organisations to rely heavily on online platforms to remain operational.
He said because of the pandemic established companies and new ventures alike began creating interactive pages and online communities to share information, promote services and engage followers in real time.
However, he observed that while digital tools expanded opportunities for engagement, they also heightened expectations. Stakeholders are no longer passive audiences. They now demand transparency, responsiveness and inclusion in decision-making processes.
“Today’s stakeholders want involvement, trust and openness,” he said. “They expect organisations to listen, respond and act, not just broadcast messages.”
Digital media, he said, has become the most powerful tool for building, sustaining and repairing relationships between organisations and their stakeholders, with businesses that fail to adapt increasingly struggling to maintain trust, loyalty and relevance in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
According to Odukale, digital media is no longer a supplementary communication channel but a strategic asset that influences how stakeholders research brands, make purchasing decisions and participate in organisational conversations. He noted that global studies show digital platforms rank just behind search engines as the most important source of online brand research and are now used at every stage of the consumer journey.
“This reality is forcing organisations to reimagine how they manage relationships, not just how they sell products,” Odukale said. “Digital media has turned engagement into a continuous dialogue rather than a one-off communication exercise.”
He explained that stakeholder engagement is rooted in public relations theory, which views communication as a management function designed to balance the interests of organisations and the public through sustained relationships. In the digital era, this relationship model has become more complex but also more rewarding for organisations that get it right.
Tracing the evolution of engagement, Odukale explained that early digital communication, often described as Web 1.0, allowed stakeholders to access information but offered little room for interaction. The rise of Web 2.0 and social media platforms transformed this model, enabling two-way communication and giving stakeholders a public voice.
This shift, he said, has fundamentally altered organisational accountability. Brands are now judged not only by what they say but by how they respond to feedback, criticism and crises in the public domain.
Organisations, he said, relied on controlled, media-focused communication through advertising, email and broadcast channels. While effective at the time, this approach is no longer sufficient in an era where content characteristics such as timing, tone, format and media type directly influence engagement levels.
Despite the potential of digital media, Odukale identified several reasons many organisations fail to achieve meaningful stakeholder engagement.
One major challenge is conflicting stakeholder priorities. Organisations often serve diverse groups with different expectations, some of which directly compete. In the digital space, consumers are also more influenced by peer recommendations than by traditional advertising, further complicating message control.
Communication breakdowns present another risk. Odukale warned that poor responsiveness or unclear messaging can quickly erode trust online, leading to disengagement or reputational damage.
He also pointed to the absence of clear digital strategies in many organisations. “Too many organisations still treat social media as an extension of traditional advertising,” he said. “They focus on posting content rather than building relationships.”
Regulatory constraints, particularly in highly regulated sectors such as healthcare and finance, further limit online interaction. Internal approval processes can slow responses, making organisations appear disconnected from stakeholder concerns. In addition, limited budgets, staffing gaps and competition for internal resources often undermine engagement efforts.
Odukale stressed that effective stakeholder engagement requires a structured and intentional approach. He outlined a process that begins with identifying and prioritising stakeholders, defining engagement levels, selecting appropriate channels and designing engagement models that address key issues and risks.
Central to this approach is dialogue. Digital platforms, he said, should be used as interactive spaces where organisations listen, exchange feedback and co-create meaning with stakeholders.
He also emphasised the importance of a human tone in digital communication. Organisations that respond promptly to questions, address concerns transparently and provide updates during crises tend to build stronger relationships and trust.
Empowering stakeholders is another critical factor. Encouraging user-generated content, facilitating participation and providing interactive website features give stakeholders a sense of ownership and belonging. Research, Odukale noted, shows that higher levels of functional interactivity lead to stronger relationships.
Employees, he added, remain the most credible representatives of any organisation. Empowering staff with training, clear guidelines and storytelling tools enables them to engage authentically with stakeholders and amplify organisational messages.
Evaluation is equally essential. Digital platforms provide real-time data on engagement, allowing organisations to measure performance, gather feedback and refine strategies. “Without evaluation, there is no improvement,” Odukale said.
To illustrate his findings, Odukale referenced the experience of GIG Motors, an automobile company founded in 1995 that grew largely through word-of-mouth advocacy. As social media became more prominent, GIG established an online presence to strengthen brand affinity and protect its reputation.
However, the company soon realised that maintaining social media accounts without a clear engagement strategy delivered limited value. As its workforce became younger and competition intensified, gaps in internal communication and digital responsiveness emerged.
According to Odukale, GIG faced challenges ranging from low employee knowledge sharing to technical failures during online sales campaigns, including transaction errors that frustrated customers. The company also struggled to monitor real-time conversations and respond effectively to emerging issues.
These challenges, he said, underscored the need for a comprehensive digital strategy that integrates employee empowerment, stakeholder participation and real-time monitoring.
Odukale added that user-generated content and dedicated digital communities would help turn stakeholders into brand advocates, while continuous evaluation would ensure accountability and improvement.
As digital media continues to reshape organisational communication, Odukale warned that businesses that fail to prioritise stakeholder engagement risk losing relevance and trust.
“Engagement is no longer about pushing information,” he said. “It is about listening, responding and building relationships that create shared value.”
He added that organisations willing to embrace dialogue, transparency and data-driven decision-making are better positioned to achieve sustainable growth and long-term legitimacy in today’s digital-first world.
