By Hannah Egya, Communications Assistant

Credo Advisory reflects on a year marked by post-pandemic recovery and global challenges. Despite the hurdles, Credo stood resilient, achieving significant milestones and contributing to impactful initiatives. Some milestones, lessons learned, and innovations shaped Credo’s impactful year.

USA Presence in Washington DC

In 2023, Credo expanded its global reach with a new Washington, DC office. Our USA office strengthens our global presence, widens our market and network, and facilitates collaboration with new and existing clients. It also aligns us closer to key partners like the Society for International Development (SID), the Small Business Association for International Companies (SBAIC), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Global Communications Alliance (GCA), offering access to strategic actors and resources.

Targeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030: Goalkeepers 2023 Annual Event

Credo attended the 2023 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Goalkeepers Event in New York for the second consecutive year as an inductee during the United Nations General Assembly. The event convened global changemakers committed to accelerating progress towards the 2030 Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

Driving Gender Impact Investment – eha Impact Ventures (EIV)

Credo supports EIV, a philanthropic investment enterprise that supports high-impact, women-led businesses in Africa. Our services include developing external communications and social media strategies aligned with EIV’s five-year objectives. Credo aided EIV’s success in 2023 by producing engaging digital content, generating reports, and enhancing communications through monthly e-newsletters aimed at closing the gender investment gap and fostering an inclusive impact investing ecosystem. Our technical assistance to EIV directly advances SDG #5 –Gender Equality.

Facilitating Dialogue in the Energy Sector – Nigeria Electricity Act Roundtable

Amid the global focus on sustainable energy solutions, Credo facilitated a high-profile roundtable on Nigeria’s Electricity Act 2023, organized by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the British High Commission and implemented by the United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF). Our involvement included media management, social media advisory and management, content development, photography, and videography. Credo’s assistance emphasized its commitment to SDG #7 (Energy Access) by fostering stakeholder engagement, dialogue, and public awareness for energy access and transition.

Global Communications Alliance Conference

Credo is the only West African member firm of the prestigious GCA. We attended the 2023 GCA conference in Edinburgh, where agencies from different countries addressed industry issues like Artificial Intelligence (AI) in communications, recruitment strategies, and the industry’s future. Credo remains updated on global communication trends through active participation in GCA activities, including the peer-to-peer mentorship program, leadership forums, advisory boards, and other GCA initiatives.

Credo Voices Podcast – Highlighting Changemakers Driving the Global Goals

The development of the “Credo Voices” podcast was a significant milestone in 2023. The podcast signifies the vital role of storytelling in inspiring collective action and building a community dedicated to a more sustainable and equitable world. Our team worked to create a platform for change-makers to share their stories, inspire others, and drive positive transformation in communities on sustainability, social responsibility, and global issues.

Lessons Learned

Agility and Adaptability

The evolving corporate landscape underscored the importance of agility and adaptability. As a result, we responded by advancing our comprehensive transition to virtual and digital communication methods while still leveraging traditional approaches as necessary. To embrace AI, virtual events, new social media platforms, digital tools, and more, we supported our team’s technical training to adapt to the changing digital communications space.

Fostering a resilient organizational culture emerged as another critical lesson. Credo prioritized employee mental health, encouraged open communication, and nurtured a culture of collaboration.

Innovations Driving Impact

Leveraging Digital Press Kits for UKNIAF

Credo utilized a digital press kit as an innovative tool for Nigerian media in facilitating the UKNIAF Nigeria Electricity Act Roundtable. The integrated and dynamic press kit became a centralized hub and a platform that provided real-time information, content, and visuals for easier media access and comprehensive and factual event coverage.

CEO’s Perspective on the Year

Credo Advisory CEO Awele Okigbo reflected that “2023 was a year of building new partnerships and strengthening old ones thanks to Credo’s new Washington DC presence. We have begun sponsoring and participating in industry events and networking more closely in the international development space.”