The ceremony celebrated excellence, resilience and forward-thinking storytelling, while also announcing the programme’s expansion into a Pan-African edition beginning next year.

The six-month programme, known for its rigorous coursework, demanding schedule and strong emphasis on critical thinking, included an international study visit to South Africa that broadened participants’ understanding of media innovation across the continent.

The graduation event acknowledged the Fellows’ commitment to completing the intensive journey while strengthening their capacity to influence the future of African media.

Dr. Ikechukwu Obiaya, dean of the School of Media and Communications, PAU, commended the Fellows for their persistence throughout the programme.

“In some moments, it was pretty grueling for some of you, but you made it. You are here, and I congratulate you,” he said.

He encouraged them to see the graduation as a new beginning, adding, “We have so much to do, and each one of us is best positioned now to make that transformation.”

Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, MTN Nigeria, congratulated the cohort on successfully completing the six-month programme and reaffirmed MTN’s long-term vision for the initiative.

He said,

“Congratulations on completing this journey. You are joining a network of professionals who are committed to elevating the media landscape in Nigeria and beyond. The future of this programme depends on your impact. This cohort represents the outcome we envisioned when the journey began. Today, the programme is not only thriving but also expanding.”

He further announced that the Pan-African edition of the programme will be launched in 2026, providing media professionals across the continent with the same level of immersive training and unique exposure experienced by the Fellows.

A key highlight of the event was MTN Nigeria’s presentation of ₦2.5 million in cash prizes to Fellows whose projects demonstrated exceptional innovation, depth of research and alignment with the programme’s ethos of impactful storytelling.

The awards were presented by Chineze Gbenga-Oluwatoye, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, MTN Nigeria, and Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director, MTN Foundation.

Vanessa Ukamaka Richard Bassey, head of Programmes, Sparkling 92.3 FM, Calabar, emerged as the top winner, receiving ₦1 million for the MTN Foundation Chairman Award for Innovative Reportage and another ₦1 million for the MTN Chairman’s Prize for Innovation.

Sharing her experience, she said,

“It’s been a training ground. It has opened me up to new things and made me more confident. There’s something about knowledge and information and exposure to your mind and to your esteem. After today, I know there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Abolaji Adebayo received ₦500,000 for the MIP Cohort 4 Best Report, recognised for its clarity, depth and relevance to national discourse.

Several Fellows shared how the programme has reshaped their careers. Adekeye Ayobami of Abamimigo FM described the programme as arriving at the perfect moment, aligning with his recent career elevation.

Ubani Amarachi of Channels TV highlighted the value of the South Africa trip, noting that it transformed her approach to telling African stories and reinforced her belief that graduation marks the beginning of greater responsibility and impact.

The graduation of the MIP Cohort 4 Fellows, coupled with the announcement of the Pan-African edition, reinforces MTN Nigeria’s long-standing commitment to strengthening the media ecosystem through education, exposure and innovation.

The partnership between MTN Nigeria and Pan-Atlantic University continues to serve as a catalyst for developing media professionals equipped to shape narratives, advance societal progress and drive meaningful change across Africa.

MTN Nigeria in collaboration with the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, launched the Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP) in 2022 to enable media practitioners gain deeper insight into the ever-evolving media landscape.

The six-month, fully-funded certificate fellowship, which includes a study visit to the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and an innovation hub to incubate ideas, is open to media practitioners across all strata of the media industry including the print, electronic and online platforms. The programme is also open to social media content creators.

Speaking on the impact of the programme, Tobechukwu Okigbo, chief corporate services & sustainability officer, MTN Nigeria said:

“The media play a crucial role in shaping the society. It is important that they are enabled with tools and opportunities to do their jobs better as this ultimately benefits the society. Our commitment is to continue to empower media practitioners, regardless of platforms, to be able to innovate and create technological-driven solutions to our world. This is what the MTN Media Innovation Programme seeks to accomplish.”

On his part, Dr Ikechukwu Obiaya, the dean, School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, stated that the programme brings into play the wide experience that the School has in the training of media practitioners.

“In our various programmes targeted at journalists, we at the School of Media and Communication have always laid a lot of emphasis on the importance of creativity, ethics and professionalism. The Media Innovation Programme is one more opportunity to drive home these values but with a new emphasis on innovation. Journalism remains as important as ever to the society, and it is driven by the same values, but journalists require a retooling to meet the technological changes and challenges of today. This is the role that the Media Innovation Programme aims to play, and we are quite happy to be able to partner with MTN to achieve this goal”, Dr. Obiaya said.

At the end of the training, the 20 successful applicants will qualify as Fellows for the 2024 cohort.

The Fellows would be coached on Nigeria’s technology sector, the relationship between media and technology, and equipped with the skills to adapt to the changing realities that guarantee career and financial success in their professional practice.

MTN MIP Fellows will also have access to professional resources and mentorship from PAU’s erudite faculty.

How to Apply to MTN MIP

Interested journalists, bloggers and content creators can apply for the Fellowship using the link HERE.

Applications open on Friday March 23 and close Wednesday April 10, 2024.

This is the second edition of the MTN-MIP programme, launched in 2022, to support media practitioners and promote understanding of the rapidly changing media landscape.

The six-month, fully funded certificate fellowship includes a study visit to the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa and an innovation hub to incubate ideas. It is open to media practitioners across print, electronic, online platforms and social media content creators.

https://twitter.com/MTNNG/status/1637809931859513344

Commenting on the impact of the Media Innovation Programme, MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola said, “The media is a crucial contributor to a thriving nation. Enhancing their skill set will benefit society at large. Through the Media Innovation Programme, we want to continue empowering media practitioners. Enabling them to report at an elevated level combining innovation with solution-oriented media practice to benefit their readers.”

Professor Enase Okonedo, Vice Chancellor Pan-Atlantic University, said, “At the Pan-Atlantic University, we provide training that will enable our students to uphold the highest intellectual, ethical and professional values in their professional and everyday endeavours. The MTN Media Innovation Programme is a melting pot of sessions and discussions promoting creative thinking, technology-forward practices, and honesty that enable participants to continue practising with journalistic integrity.”

Following a review of applications, 20 professionals will join the 2023 MIP cohort. The multifaceted programme will give them a unique opportunity to explore Nigeria’s technology sector and the nexus between media and technology. It will also equip them with the skills to adapt to our changing realities.

MTN-MIP Fellows will also have access to professional resources and mentorship from PAU’s erudite faculty. Interested journalists and bloggers can apply for the programme at through this link.

During the trip, they will study at the University of Witwatersrand where they will engage in interactive sessions on creativity and innovation, explore opportunities in the media business and provide solutions to some of the challenges to successfully running media businesses in Africa.

They will also gain insights into the role of the media in promoting Pan-Africanism, thus strengthening the bond between Nigeria and South Africa.

The MTN-MIP Fellows will also visit and tour MTN Group’s Head Office in Sandton, explore the Y’ello Innovation Centre and pay a visit to the South African High Commission.

They will also explore the city of Johannesburg, visiting monumental locations and engaging in exciting experiences.

MTN-MIP Fellow, Wasilat Azeez, Business Reporter at TheCable Nigeria says the study trip provides her with an opportunity to enrich her knowledge in her profession. She said, “I am excited about the study trip because it’s an excellent opportunity for me to enrich my knowledge of journalism and broaden my horizons.”

Peter Oluka, editor at TechEconomy is excited about exploring new locations and engaging in stimulating conversations on media innovation.

The programme aims not only to expose participants to the vast opportunities in one of the fastest-growing industries in the world – technology but also to equip them with the essential ICT skills to tap into the opportunities in some of the lucrative spheres of the industry, enabling them to do their job better.

At the end of the programme, there will be a graduation ceremony where the most outstanding participant will be awarded a grant to participate in and cover some of MTN Nigeria’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

In addition, Fellows will also have access to professional resources and mentorship from PAU’s SMC’s erudite faculty.

PAU has a well-earned reputation, locally and internationally, as an institution that provides world class education.

The institution in its continuous quest for excellence has made fresh ₦150 million in the School of Science and Technology (SST).

The University organised a media parley on Wednesday June 22, 2022 as part of the events commemorating twenty years of its existence.

In her remarks, Professor Enase Okonedo, Vice-Chancellor, Pan-Atlantic University (PAU), explained how the university evolved into an institution with one school.

She said PAU now has six Main Units and a museum.

Prof. Okonedo described the School of Science and Technology as the latest kid on the block, as the school is the newest unit in the university.

In her words: “Pan-Atlantic University has a strong Christian identity. The truths Pan-Atlantic University shares as an institution are not only common to Christianity but other religions. The university has a strong pluralism and aims to approach the education for students in freedom and with freedom.”

Also speaking, Professor Chris Ogbechie, the Dean of Lagos Business School (LBS), described LBS as the child that gave birth to its mother. LBS was founded thirty years ago; Ten years before PAU.

He said that from the onset, Lagos Business School has and continues to be a world-class school that develops responsible leaders in management. Because of this, LBS places lots of emphasis on two areas which are Business Ethics and Sustainability.

These two key areas are included in all programmes at LBS to ensure that the core values of integrity, professionalism, a spirit of service, mutual respect and community are upheld and lived out. The LBS MBA is rated number one in Africa.

Dr Peter Bamkole, Director of The Enterprise Development Center (EDC), also explained how the journey for programme attendees at EDC is unique.

Speaking on mentoring, the Director said that the school operates a model of following up with the students post-graduation to ensure they are on the right path.

According to him, ethics is a course taught across all EDC programmes and instilled into the minds of business owners.

Dr Sola Oni, the Dean of the School of Management and Social Sciences, also discussed the impact of the mentoring that students receive in the course of their studies at the university and once they leave.

Dr Darlington Agholor, the Dean of the School of Science and Technology (SST), further discussed the development of SST and how the mission of PAU- to build competent professionals, ties in with the aim of SST. All undergraduate degrees offered by SST ensure the practical application of student learnings.

Dwelling on areas of need for the varsity, Dr Aghor stressed that lack of infrastructure has been a major challenge.

“This lack of infrastructure has hindered innovations and creativities. Our target is to develop engineers that can solve problems at the speed of light, but without adequate infrastructure, this will be a challenge.

“The believe is that we must develop engineers that can solve lots of problems. What we are doing is to build the confidence of our engineers, but we will need lots of fundings for equipment and others to get this done,” he added.

According to him, the varsity just invested about ₦150 million in the engineering department to ensure practicals, not just theories, to be able to churn out the best.

Dr Ngozi Okpara, Acting Dean of the School of Media and Communications, touched upon the ethics and value of freedom in building competent professionals and ensuring students get a platform to showcase what they do.

In addition, Dr Peter Bamkole mentioned plans for opening an innovation hub on campus. “This will be a space where businesses or individuals can bring real-life business ideas and issues for students and researchers to work on and solve.”

In Summary, Pan-Atlantic University has many accomplishments over the years. The university endeavours to continue to do more by investing in the local community, contributing to the success of individuals and businesses, and building competent professionals.

Prior to her appointment, Dr. Okpara was the Director GfK Centre, School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, Nigeria.

The appointment of an Acting Dean for SMC was as a result of the demise of Dr. Mike Okolo recently.

“We will admit that the past few days have been hard dealing with the demise of Dr. Mike Okolo. The leadership vacuum left by the passing of Dr. Okolo is very obvious and difficult to fill.

“There is a need to ensure operations continue at the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, Nigeria (SMC) with minimal disruptions.

“In this regard, the University Management Council has approved the appointment of Dr. Ngozi Okpara as Acting Dean of the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, Nigeria with effect from today, June 9, 2022.

“We wish Dr. Okpara success in her new appointment”, the School tweeted today about Dr. Ngozi Okpara ‘s appointment:

The shocking news was announced by the SMC today. Dr. Okolo joined Pan-Atlantic University in 2004 as the Corporate Affairs Manager of the University.

In 2006, he moved to become a pioneer member of the newly formed Centre for Media and Communication (CMC) and played a key role in the Centre’s establishment.

The CMC evolved into the School of Media and Communication, attaining a reputation for running quality academic as well as professional education programmes, with the tremendous input of Dr. Mike Okolo.

He was a senior lecturer at the School in the area of Organizational/Corporate Communication. He has also served the School in different administrative capacities.

He was at different times the head of the Professional Education Department and the director of the Academic Unit and also served as a member of the School’s Management Board.

In addition to his teaching sessions at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, Dr. Mike Okolo has been involved in many trainings, seminars, workshops, and conferences within and outside the country.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Rosemary Okolo, the former Registrar of the University and currently a member of faculty in the School of Management and Social Sciences, and four children.

MTN MIP – 1 2022 classes begin!

Culture, Society & the Media

Facilitator: Prof. Emevwo Biakolo

Before Mr. Aigbogun’s sessions, Professor Emevwo Biakolo laid the foundation. He said, although society shapes the media and that​​ it (society) deserves the media it has,​ nonetheless, ​journalists need to ​discharge their duties without prejudices;​​​​​ abiding by the ethics of the profession​ without which​ “the media will succumb to the dictates of authoritarianism​”​.

He said that the media practitioners must see themselves from the cultural perspective of human capacity to categorize and communicate experiences and share worldwide views, symbolically.

He highlighted the school of thought which believes that the ICT revolution and encroachment in the media space juxtaposes to a point in time in the Greek society when literacy influenced nee thinking which transverse the whole of Europe.

“The concept of mediatization has clearly demonstrated the process whereby all culture, social, political and economic life & operations, are dependent on media forms and media technology. I challenge you today to use the media to better the worth of humanity”, he charged the participants.

Ethical Concepts for Media Practitioners

Facilitator: Professor Juan Elegido

Nodding in agreement to Prof. Biakolo’s postulations, Prof. Elegido, said that ‘truth’ is a key concept of role responsibility of the media.

This, he said, connotes that the media must be perceived as ​the​ “reliable provider of information” to sustain its credibility in the eyes of members of the society.

“The media’s self-respect and social standing depend on this”, the professor said. “The journalist’s task is to come up with the best version of events you can put together by dint of serious work”.

He urged media practitioners to be watchful of the ‘Pilate Question’, avoid telling lies, engage in serious research and avoid omitting relevant facts during analysis, conflict of interest and other vices.

Facilitating the sessions on ‘The Concept of Innovation and its Imperatives for Media Practitioners’, Mr. Frank Aigbogun, said that today, the Media is in serious battle for the consumer’s attention, as such it is a congested space and innovation is necessary.

“The media needs to innovate from Ad revenue to consumer revenue”, he said.

He belongs to the school of thought which believes that digital Technology, rather than kill the market, introduced “new media “ and offered new media tools for reaching more people.

“Beyond being a media company, start seeing yourself as a technology company. Remember, by the time you hear about an innovation, it is already late.

“In all, what sustains the business is the ethics as innovation without ethics will die,” the BusinessDay Publisher said.

Introduction to Entrepreneurship; Principles and Practices

Facilitator: Dr. Peter Bamkole.

Entrepreneurship is a lifelong journey, but the entrepreneur that stands the test of time is one ready to learn-on-the-journey as innovation and technology disruptions can make or mar your business.

Dr. Bambole went ahead to educate the class on six basic steps to recognize opportunity/ beginning the entrepreneurial journey which must align with the SMART (S – specific; M – Measurable; A – Achievable; R – Resources and T – Time bound/ time frame) concept

Management Principles and Practice

Facilitator: Dr. Emeka Osuji

He started by setting the context of business and business enterprise. The underlying factors are that businesses exist as the context within which men, ideas, money, materials and machines are combined to provide goods and services at a profit. 

Businesses are categorized based on Profit e.g, Limited Liability Companies (LLC) and Not-for-Profit e.g. NGOs. Breaking it down further, Dr. Osuji talked about Sole Proprietorship, Partnership and Joint Stock Companies 

He emphasized the need to clearly define where one’s/co-founders business belong(s) and regularize it where and when appropriate.

For Management of a business, Dr. Osuji said that a manager must depict leadership skill in order not to lose control and command of the team. 

Having said these, there are factors that could enable an organisation to strive or struggle, such as:

. Business environment: Micro or Macro;

. The socio-economic dynamics of the location; amongst others factors.

However, the stability of a company when affected by these factors is inherent in its culture which is the shared values, principles, traditions, and ways of doing things that influence the way organisation members’ act. 

In summary, a thriving business is one that is structured with clear goals and mission & culture to direct rightly including rewarding excellence. 

Media Laws; Principles & Practice

Facilitator: Barrister Tomi Vincent

He said that the differential factors between laws and morals are that law stands a body of rules meant to regulate conducts, that must be obeyed; and sanctions are attached. But when rules are not obeyed, in most cases, they are reduced to morals.

Barr. Vincent said: “Law is an order. Without it the society will be in chaos. It stands to regulate procedures and ensures orderliness in the affairs in the society. It controls rights, obligations and duties; guides human behavior within the society”.

He said that while laws reconcile conflicting interests, the gamut of media law, presupposes, fundamentally, the control by legal means of the interplay of power and struggles between the press, the government and the citizenry.

“Press freedom seeks ‘freedom to publish’; the government wants discretion, understanding & regulation of the press…while the citizens want to be protected from arbitrariness”, he suggests. 

He further listed some aspects of the legal side of the media: tort, intellectual property, defamation, seditions, privacy, taxations, insurance, among others.

Barr. Vincent advised the participants to ensure they innovate within the ambits of the law to avoid sanctions.

Interrogating Business Policies and Regulations

Facilitator: Tim Newbold

Tim Newbold reemphasized the media parlance that says ‘Don’t rush to publish when the facts are not clear’.

He ​​cited examples of recent media reports about new taxes imposed on telecommunication services such as SMS and voice calls. According to him, research shows that the tax wasn’t newly introduced as portrayed in the media.

To this end, Tim, who has spent 16 years in Nigeria with keen interest in the media research space, said that most media laws and regulations or policies serve as a deterrent by the government against false news and related unverified reports.

He said that fact-check tools and some online platforms can help the journalists to perform better.

The class also reviewed some sections of the new Sixth National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Codes in Nigeria.

Taxation; Business Policies and Regulation

Facilitator: Dr. Fredrick Ikpesu

The classes started with reflections on ‘Business Canvas Models’, which the facilitator said are critical for a business to thrive.

He further stressed a need for media practitioners to under the taxes associated with their business models.

Dr. Ikpesu said ​described​ tax as a compulsory levy imposed by the government on goods and services​ and which it depends on to provide essential amenities to the people.

He enumerated media tax obligations and called for compliance.

MTN MIP – Summary of week one:

Under a serene teaching and learning atmosphere provided by the School of Media and Communications, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, the MTN MIP 2022 offers a great platform for knowledge and incubation for media innovation in Nigeria.

The lessons point at Innovation as the key to unlock opportunities; however, maintaining ethical principles helps to build sustainable career/future/ business.

Media practitioners drawn from media houses across Nigeria, made it to the first stream of the three-year programme.

MTN MIP was formally launched on April 27, 2022 and will cost the technology company over 300 million naira.

“We are driven by our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected world and are driving accelerated growth by leading digital solutions for Nigeria’s progress. Against this backdrop, the media landscape continues changing at remarkable speeds, boosted by new technologies. Thus, it is only fitting that we support developments in the Nigerian media space with our infrastructure and enable capacity building initiatives to enable innovation in media practice.

“It’s a delight to partner with the Pan-Atlantic University, who, through their expertise, have contributed to the professional development of the media industry, not only in Nigeria but across Africa,” Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, noted during the launch event.

On her part, Professor Enase Okonedo, Vice Chancellor, Pan-Atlantic University, said: “The School of Media and Communication was established to train professionals who will uphold the highest intellectual, ethical and professional values that promote creativity, critical knowledge, social responsibility and the spirit of enterprise. The MTN Media Innovation Programme could not have come at a better time for Nigerian media practitioners to imbibe these pertinent values.”

MTN MIP -1 Class:

In his remarks, Dr. Mike Okolo, Dean, School of Media and Communications, PAU, congratulated the participants, numbering 20, who were selected from more than 1200 applicants.

“It took us about a month to conceive the course outline due to content generation and support (sponsorship). Now, the programme is loaded with great contents and the facilitators are seasoned and reputable personalities.

“More than a thousand people applied for this programme, but you were selected after rigorous appraisal of the applications. The essence of MTN MIP is to put the lessons to work post-learning.

“What we desire is to make changes in the society which the participants should become SMC’s ambassadors. It costs a lot of money to develop the content and the MTN Nigeria’s decision to foot the bills was borne out of the shared value to see the media impact the industry better.

“Never let the work stop you from achieving knowledge. Burn the candle”, the Dean challenged the participants. 

Mr. Tobechukwu Okigbo, the Chief Corporate Services Officer, MTN Nigeria, further highlighted that MTN MIP as a platform for the practitioners to unlearn, learn and relearn.

“As media practitioners, you must think for yourself, so we ‘the industry’ do not tell you things which are not as though they were. You must query some industry statistics; analyze certain claims to help the society make informed decision by knowing the truth. Interrogate the numbers; that is what sets you apart”, Okigbo charged the participants.

He further said that MTN as a group believes in shared values with the stakeholders, which for instance, informed the management’s decision to commit $25 million to in support of COVID-19 vaccination programme.

He added that as a Nigerian company, MTN believes in honest, objective and fair reportage; and will continue to obey the rules while challenging some issues in court, to ensure that no party is surcharged.

Isaac-Ogugua Ezechukwu, Director Professional Education, School of Media and Communications at Pan-Atlantic University (owned by the Pan-Atlantic University Foundation (PAUF), a non-profit foundation registered in Nigeria), reiterated the MTN MIP programme revolves around three key areas: Telecom industry; Media innovation, and Writing & Reporting.

He is the Programme Administrator while the programme coordinators are Idu Oruamabo and Opeyemi Gazalil.

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