The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian journalists

  • Journalists urged to spotlight climate finance for global investments, job growth

    Journalists urged to spotlight climate finance for global investments, job growth

    Amid growing calls for economic resilience, a recent training initiative has equipped Nigerian journalists to highlight climate finance opportunities, aiming to attract international investments and create better jobs for citizens.

    The workshop, held in Abuja, focused on human-centered climate reporting, emphasizing how journalists can frame stories to connect environmental challenges with governance, policy, and economic prospects. 

    Organized by a consortium led by Goldapples Media Associates, in partnership with Climate Africa Media Initiative and Centre (CAMIC) and African Newspage, the sessions trained reporters from radio, TV, print, and digital platforms in solutions-oriented journalism.

    Ayo Makinde, CEO of Goldapples and consortium lead, stressed reframing climate issues as daily realities influenced by policy decisions, enhancing accountability and public awareness.

    Facilitators like Aliu Akoshile of CAMIC linked climate science, finance, emissions, and justice to Nigerian communities, while Adam Alqali of African Newspage shared ethical approaches to accountability reporting. Participants tested CAMIC’s Climate Explainer Toolkit, introduced by Helen Bassey Osijo, to simplify complex topics.

    Supported by the UK-funded Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE), the program underscores journalism’s role in national development.

    PACE media advisor, Enene Ejembi, said that PACE is a UK International Development funded programme that works with the Government of Nigeria to identify governance and climate challenges and develop solutions that increase prosperity and economic development.

    According to Ejembi, PACE works closely with government institutions to unlock service delivery while also amplifying citizens’ voices by identifying their needs, priorities, and expectations.

    “The media is the fourth estate of the realm. Journalists play a critical role in aggregating citizens’ voices and ensuring accountability. That is why we engage closely with journalists and media executives.

    “Governance has more than one side. There is the government side and there is the citizens’ side. We always ask: where are the citizens in this conversation?”, Ejembi stated.

    She noted that PACE adopts a whole of society approach, working with civil society organisations, government agencies, community groups, state governments, and the press.

    Speaking on climate finance and economic opportunity, she said that when journalists highlight climate finance opportunities and resources, they help Nigeria attract global investment, deepen existing investments, and create higher incomes and better jobs for Nigerians.

    She urged journalists to approach climate and governance reporting with patriotism and national development in focus, ” What do Nigerians need to know about climate and governance? How can these lead to more investment, trade, job creation, and prosperity for Nigerians?” 

    At the end of the programme, attendees reported greater confidence in linking climate stories to human impacts, with the consortium committing to ongoing support for journalism that drives investment and growth in Nigeria.

  • Nigerian journalists must promote human rights in advancing unity, says Amnesty International

    Nigerian journalists must promote human rights in advancing unity, says Amnesty International

    Amnesty International (AI) has called on Nigerian journalists to embrace human rights-focused reporting as a tool to promote justice, equity, and national unity.

    Micheal Christian, the Social Media Communication Officer of Amnesty International Nigeria, gave the charge at a two-day training organised for journalists and media professionals in the South-West region of the country.

    The Nation reported that the theme of the training was: “Strengthening Human Rights Reporting in the Southwest,” held in Ibadan, Oyo State capital between Thursday and Friday.

    Speaking at the training, which drew the participants from Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun, and Ondo States, Mr Christian explained that the aim was designed to equip media professionals with the tools, knowledge, and strategies necessary to advance human rights through ethical and impactful storytelling.

    He emphasised the importance of the media in an egalitarian society, noting that the profession is now evolving but posited that the practitioners played a pivotal role in shaping public opinion, influencing policy, and holding authorities accountable.

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    “By amplifying human rights narratives and shedding light on violations, the media act as powerful agents of change, advocating for justice, equality, and dignity for all,” Mr Christian said.

    He highlighted the basic human rights to include the right to life, dignity, personal freedom, fair treatment, privacy, freedom of thought, religion, peaceful assembly, association, and movement.

    According to him, some of the rights are frequently violated in Nigeria while the media has not always been fully effective in promoting or defending them.

    “As agents of social change, the media have the power to set the societal agenda, shape public opinion, and champion human rights. 

    “The key challenge for media professionals lies in covering these critical human rights issues while maintaining journalistic independence and adhering to ethical standards.”

    Also, Anne Chukwunwike of Amnesty International Nigeria, in her welcome speech, noted that the organisation is not fighting the government but is concerned about issues of human rights.

    “We don’t fight anybody. We want to ensure that people’s rights are property managed. Media is the voice that the people listen to,” Mrs Chukwunwike said.

    Earlier, the Executive Director of Centre for Free Speech Organisation, Mr Richard Akinnola, challenged journalists on the need to equip themselves with necessary gadgets and evidence while investigating human rights issues.

    Mr Akinnola, who recalls his decades of experience as a journalist working with the defunct Concord Newspaper during the military regime, said there are a lot of risks and hazards involved in reporting issues related to human rights issues.

    Presenting a paper titled, “The evolving role of the journalist in defending democracy and human rights,” he asked journalists to be careful and double-check facts while working on issues related to human rights.

    “Be careful while investigating human rights stories. Especially in this era of artificial intelligence. For you to investigate human rights issues, you need to equip yourselves with the necessary gadgets. You need to have your evidence.

    “So, there are different gadgets that can be useful for you to do investigative stories. It is pertinent to have your evidence too,” Mr Akinola added.

    Another guest lecturer, Dr Kabiru Danladi, from Mass Communication Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said that journalists must continue to work in line with the dictates of the profession while vehemently kicking against syndrome of “brown envelope” and gratification. 

    Danladi, who also presented a paper titled “Ethics in Practice: Upholding integrity in reporting” described integrity as one of the hallmarks of journalism.

    “So, when you don’t have integrity, nobody will believe what you write. We have to be very careful in verifying facts,” he said.

    Other speakers at the event which include Dr Arthur-Martins Aginam, who spoke on “The Journalist as a human rights advocate,” and a renowned investigative journalists, Fisayo Soyombo who spoke on “Investigative Journalism in a climate of impunity,” highlighted the risks involved advocating for accountability and holding those in power responsible. 

  • Kudos to Nigerian journalists

    Kudos to Nigerian journalists

    I am always amused each time I hear many Nigerians, including those who should know better complain about the Nigeria media not producing investigative reports like in the past as it was in the days of especially Late Dele Giwa, former Editor in Chief of the defunct Newswatch Magazine who was letter-bombed during the Babangida military regime.

    Even those who have never read the supposed investigative reports of the period they speak of usually lament how most of the present corps of journalists have supposedly become lapdogs instead of watchdogs.

    They are quick to claim that Nigerian journalists have sold out to politicians and government officials who they should hold accountable by the provisions of the constitution.

    Many accuse journalists of collecting ‘brown envelopes’ as if every journalist indulges in the unethical practice. They hail people who claim to be investigative journalists based on unethical reports they amplify on social media as the best thing to have happened to journalism in Nigeria.

    When international media organizations publish or broadcast investigative reports about Nigeria, critics of the media wonder why our media organizations cannot do the same or better ones since the issues in focus are local ones.

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    While the media, like any other sector in the country, has been weakened by various factors considering the state of the economy and other factors, the performance of the media in the country is not as bad as many critics claim.

    Contrary to the impression that Nigerian journalists are not living up to expectations regarding investigative journalism, many investigative reports are published regularly across our print, broadcast and online platforms.

    Despite limited resources, legacy media organizations are still churning out investigative reports as often as they can along with many Online platforms.

    More than ever before, we now have several media Non-Governmental Organizations devoted to training and funding investigative reports, including the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), the International Center for Investigative Reporting, (ICIR),  the Center for Journalism Development and  Innovation,(CJID ) formerly known as Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism and Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ)

    Unfortunately, many critics claim they are not aware of the various investigative reports by the Nigerian media. What’s apparent is that even those who know of such reports are no longer moved by whatever level of shocking revelations about corruption in government, abuse of office, mismanagement of public funds and any other.

    Many outstanding investigative reports by Nigerian journalists have won local and international reports which should be acknowledged instead of the sweeping claim that Investigative reporting belongs to the years past in the profession.

    The job of the journalists is to investigate and report with the hope that anyone guilty of any infraction will be held accountable by the necessary authorities. While there have been instances where the government at various levels have been forced to action regarding some investigative reports, many have been ignored by not only the government or even the public who should use them to demand good governance.

    Beyond investigative journalism, Nigerian journalists have keyed into new forms of practice including Solutions Journalism, Data Journalism and Fact checking.

    While I agree that more investigative reporting can still be done considering the rot in the country, it’s necessary to acknowledge what exists and support media organisations that are also battling to survive due to the economic situation of the country that has affected their revenue base.