NIGERIA – Technology company, MTN to invest over N300 million (US$722,862) in its Media Innovation Programme (MIP) targeted at empowering journalists in the country.
Through the program, which is being organized in partnership with the Pan-Atlantic University, MTN will train 20 Nigerian media practitioners.
The training includes digital skills, improvement in writing, and reporting skills through group presentations and sessions on PowerPoint tools for effective communication.
The training takes six months and is fully funded under the program in partnership with the School of Media and Communication, PAU, in Lagos.
The 20 Fellows will spend some time in accelerator labs and innovation centers, creating and incubating ideas, as well as a study visit to the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, adjudged one of the top universities in Africa in media training.
According to the company, the investment in media training for journalists in different beats is in continuation of its tradition of contributing significantly to educational growth in Nigeria.
The program come at a time when media leaders from more than 50 countries across the world say lack of sufficient resources and skills are the major barriers to delivering innovation in their works.
According to a report, around 51 percent of 246 media leaders in 52 countries surveyed lack enough money to invest in innovation in 2022.
A similar proportion struggles to hire or keep enough technical, design, or data staff to deliver solutions.
By investing in media training for reporters in various beats, MTN continues its tradition of contributing significantly to educational growth in Nigeria.
“We are driven by our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected world inspired by the potential of Africa,” said Karl Toriola, MTN CEO.
“Our motivation is to support the Nigerian media space with our infrastructure and enable capacity-building initiatives to accelerate innovation in media practice.”
The program will engage in intensive sessions on courses covering creativity and innovation, entrepreneurship and management principles, subscription business, and strategic planning skills, amongst others.
The technology company has so far spent US$55 million on scholarship schemes, maternal health improvement, and promoting performing arts, among other things.
Approximately 30 million Nigerians have been reached by these initiatives and the technology company is not slowing down.
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