Ogun commends IHS Nigeria, NUJ Correspondents Chapel for retraining over 100 journalists

The Ogun State Government has commended IHS Nigeria Limited for sponsoring a two-day media training and retreat for more than 100 journalists across the state, aimed at equipping them with modern digital skills and new tools of journalism.

Governor Dapo Abiodun, represented by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, gave the commendation at the opening ceremony of the training held at AA Entertainment Tourism Hotel, Kuto, Abeokuta.

He described the initiative, organised in partnership with the Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents Chapel, as timely and essential in helping journalists stay updated with emerging trends in the profession.

The governor highlighted key challenges facing media practitioners, including inadequate career development support, limited mentorship for young reporters, gaps in digital literacy, leadership capacity building, and cases of harassment while on duty.

“We are all aware that media practitioners in Nigeria face numerous challenges, including gaps in structured mentorship for young reporters, career planning and growth opportunities, digital literacy and leadership development,” the governor said, urging participants to maximize the training to enhance creativity and professionalism.

He further commended IHS Nigeria and the facilitator of the programme, Chairman of the NUJ Correspondents Chapel, Comrade Rasaq Ayinla, for organizing what he described as an impactful capacity-building initiative covering finance, economy, health, communications, oil and gas, banking, law and governance reporting.

In her goodwill message, Legal Director of IHS Nigeria, Mrs. Yemisi Diya-Salawu, expressed confidence that the programme would improve participants’ professional competence and promote responsible journalism.

She explained that IHS Nigeria, a member of the global IHS Towers Group, operates more than 16,000 towers and 15,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable nationwide.

“We see ourselves as Nigeria’s backbone of digital possibilities. Connectivity drives socio-economic growth, but it must go hand in hand with sustainability and social responsibility,” she added.

Diya-Salawu noted that the company’s sustainability strategy rests on four pillars: ethics and governance, environment and climate change, education and economic growth, and people and communities, adding that supporting media development aligns with IHS’s belief in the media’s role in informing citizens and strengthening democracy.

Speaking on the topic “Understanding the Workability of Conventional and New Media: The Pros and Cons,” Founder of Media Career Services, Mr. Lekan Otunfodunrin, urged journalists to embrace Artificial Intelligence tools to enhance efficiency and storytelling.

Another resource person, former Editor of Business Day Newspaper, Dr. Vincent Nwanma, speaking on “Relevance of Financial and Economic News Reporting in Modern-Day Journalism,” stressed the need for journalists to understand economic policy and market dynamics to report accurately.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Ogun NUJ Correspondents Chapel, Comrade Rasaq Ayinla, said the training was designed to bridge knowledge gaps and strengthen journalists’ capacity in specialised reporting, including economy, telecoms, mining, oil and gas, banking, education and governance.

“Abeokuta remains a hub of vibrant journalism, and we must sustain this momentum through continuous training and retraining,” he said.

Participants at the two-day retreat were drawn from print, broadcast and online media organisations, as well as information officers from local government councils and federal ministries.