The Nigeria–South Africa Chamber of Commerce (NSACC) marked its 25th anniversary with the unveiling of a new logo and a dialogue on diplomacy, where the MTN Media Innovation Program (MIP) was spotlighted as a unique tool for enhancing bilateral relations.
At the anniversary breakfast meeting in Lagos, leaders from business, academia, and the media stressed that stronger cross-border reporting and cultural exchange are essential to building trust, trade, and cooperation between Africa’s two largest economies.
Dr Ije Jidenma, chairman of NSACC, stressed the importance of developing a new generation of media professionals who can drive economic and diplomatic progress.
“We need to emphasise a generation of media professionals who are not just content creators, but like I said, they are capitalists,” she said.
According to her, cross-exposure for journalists in both countries would “create a more nuanced understanding of our shared values,” encourage balanced reporting, and “support business partnerships rooted in trust and context.”
MTN’s Media Innovation Program as a Diplomatic Tool
Tobechukwu Okigbo, chief corporate services and sustainability officer at MTN Nigeria, presented the company’s Media Innovation Program (MIP), developed in partnership with Pan-Atlantic University.
“We launched at the Lagos Business School. The intent was to get the media in Nigeria to understand the telecommunications industry, not just MTN, but to understand the entire telecommunications industry,” he said.
The six-month fellowship, fully sponsored by MTN, exposes participants to the company’s operations, regulatory engagements, and a study trip to South Africa. Okigbo noted: “We see how people abuse the media space, fake news and so on. Whatever is accurate, and factual is not just to the media, but to the country itself.”
He added that the fellowship has taken on a diplomatic role, with the long-term goal of making it “central to the conversation at Bi-National Commission level.”
“MTN is an African company… we invest as aggressively as we do in Nigeria… The intention is, Africa, for Africa to stand,” he stated.
He also announced plans to continue the fellowship into its ninth cohort, expand training to include project management, and use cultural exchanges such as music and film to strengthen ties. “The aim is to ensure the program builds sustainable bridges.”
Academia’s Perspective
Dr Ikechukwu Obiaya, Dean of the School of Media and Communication at Pan-Atlantic University, described the media as central to shaping foreign relations. He explained that coverage influences public perception and can either strengthen cooperation or fuel division.
“With the Media Innovation Program and the partnership with MTN, we see the heights to which such collaboration can get to,” he said at the NSACC 25th anniversary, linking the initiative to the university’s mission of forming competent and ethical professionals.
A Panel of Journalists
Again, at the NSACC 25th anniversary, a panel of past fellows, including CNBC Africa’s Akinkunmi Obakeye, Channels Television’s Amarachi Ubani, Nifemi Oguntoye of TVC, and Oluwadunsin Sanya of BellaNaija, shared how the MTN MIP program influenced their work.
“When we speak better about what happens, there’s a lot that goes on, from point A up to point B,” the panellists said, adding that exposure made journalists “a little bit more sympathetic, not just judging from one side.” Another participant stressed, “Media is beyond storytelling; it’s diplomacy, action, and collaboration. It’s not a single story. It’s a very diverse one.”
Diplomatic Lens
South Africa’s Consul-General in Lagos, Dr Bobby J. Moore, pointed out that perceptions remain one of the greatest challenges between the two nations.
“One of the greatest issues facing South Africans and Nigerians is perception. And what does a perception do? It becomes a reality over a period of time, and it becomes a lived experience,” he said.
While acknowledging the influence of social media, Dr Moore called for reciprocity, suggesting that South African journalists should also be given opportunities to visit Nigeria under the program.
Private Sector as Architects of Progress
Closing the session, Dr Jidenma urged more companies to emulate MTN’s investment in capacity building:
“We are not just talking about it. We are not just observers of progress, but architects of it.”
