Communications in the development sector covers a broad range of topics and audiences, reflecting the field’s diversity. This includes initiatives to improve local and global social, economic and environmental conditions. The fundamental goal is to improve the lives of marginalised communities, reduce poverty, guarantee universal access to education, encourage sustainability and improve healthcare – all measures which contribute to the wellbeing of people and planet. Communications for organisations and individuals working in this sphere may centre on or include community-outreach efforts, awareness-building on underreported issues, policy and research updates to government entities, pitches to investors, human-rights advocacy, policy-reform efforts etc.
We will have four speakers with perspectives on different areas of work in the development sector. Please join us to engage with them on their experiences across field work, impact investment campaigns, science communication, journalism, climate advocacy and more. Hear from Caleb Olatujayan, Chao Shete, Loveth Walker and Philip Jakpor in this roundtable which will be especially pertinent to communicators from across Africa.
This is the second edition of the Communicating Change series, curated for the Systems Change Communications Network. It is a space for early career communications professionals to learn from and engage with each other, on practical solutions, insights and experiences while communicating across a range of complex topics, including but not limited to climate change, scientific research, conservation, reshaping economics, public health, policy, systems analysis and climate action. Hosted by the communications team at the Club of Rome, this is a platform for mutual learning on communicating complexity.
About the speakers
Caleb Olatujayan
Olatujayan is a certified digitalisation consultant and communications strategist working at the intersection of digital transformation, storytelling and institutional growth across Africa. He specialises in helping organisations and growth-stage enterprises build digitally mature systems that improve operational efficiency, strengthen brand positioning and unlock sustainable scale.
With a background spanning impact investing, innovation ecosystems, publishing and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) advisory, he brings a systems-level perspective to digital transformation. He combines digital maturity diagnostics, strategic road mapping, content ecosystems and performance analytics to drive measurable business outcomes. His work integrates technology adoption with communication strategy, ensuring that digital tools, processes and narratives align with long-term organisational objectives.
He is particularly interested in how digital infrastructure, capital flows and strategic storytelling shape emerging markets. Through advisory, consulting and executive communications support, he partners with institutions and enterprises to navigate complexity, build trust and position themselves competitively in rapidly evolving environments.
Chao Shete
Shete is a communications specialist with over six years of experience driving impact at the intersection of journalism, science, and global policy. Currently serving as a Science Communications Officer at African Population and Health Research Center, she spends her days translating “research-speak” into ideas that actually stick, bridging the gap between technical data and public understanding.
With a foundational background in journalism and a genuine obsession with making the world more equitable, Shete is currently advancing her expertise by studying International Relations and Development. This academic blend allows her to navigate the nuances of global systems while maintaining a focus on sustainable development. A firm believer in the power of narrative to catalyse social change, she spends her spare time writing fiction—a passion that keeps her storytelling sharp and her perspective imaginative.
Loveth Walker
Walker is a climate advocate and media entrepreneur working at the intersection of climate and storytelling. She is the Founder and Host of The Climate Gist, a platform reimagining how climate conversations are had, shifting them from technical jargon to relatable, culture-shaping dialogue that resonates with young Africans.
She also co-founded Grevego, a green startup driving practical, community-based climate action and sustainable solutions.
Through research, digital media, and on-ground initiatives, Loveth bridges policy, people, and pop culture, proving that climate communication can be both intelligent and accessible.
A certified SDG Advocate with a background in Political Science, she brings experience in climate diplomacy, youth engagement, and project leadership. From leading climate-focused initiatives to speaking on global platforms, her work centres on one question: how do we make climate action feel personal, urgent and possible?
Walker is building a voice for her generation in global climate conversations.
Philip Jakpor
Jakpor lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria. He began his career as a journalist in 2002 and worked in several media organisations until 2007 when he left mainstream media to work with the Environmental Rights Action as head of the media department. The skills he acquired as a journalist became crucial in his sojourn ever since, as an environmental activist, public health advocate and community mobiliser.
In 2023, he founded the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) and as its executive director he leads a team that continues the work of exposing the activities of corporations that violate the environment and rights of local people.
In the environment and climate space Jakpor has been at the fore of advocacy focused on the concerns of frontline communities. He routinely organises trainings to capacitate journalists to effectively report environment and climate change and other RDI themes.
Through RDI, he lives out his conviction that the beginning, centre and end of development is the local community. He now concentrates his work on the local front.
