MTN launches 12-week training programme for African media professionals

African telecom giant, MTN Group, has launched its Pan-African MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP). The launch coincided with the visit of MIP Cohort 4 to its headquarters in Johannesburg.

The fully sponsored programme will be executed in partnership with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the African Editors Forum (TAEF). It will be a 12-week certified programme. and is open to senior media professionals across Africa who are seeking advanced skills in innovation, digital storytelling, technology, and policy reporting.

The programme will provide access to encrypted communication software. It will host workshops on fact-checking techniques, as well as mentorship networks for emerging journalists.

Representing the Group Chairman’s office, Dominic Khumalo, Senior Manager, Public Affairs at MTN, stated that the Pan-African programme aims to redefine African media’s future. He said, “MIP provides a platform for Africans to tell their own stories, in their voices, reflecting Africa’s vision.”

He emphasised that the launch reflects MTN Nigeria’s broader commitment to sustainability, shared value, and long-term capacity development within the media sector.

According to him, it is not just a learning experience. It is a platform for diplomacy, social power, and a model for trilateral cooperation between corporate players and government.

“MIP was launched in Nigeria by MTN Nigeria in partnership with the Pan Atlantic University. And, it has done excellently well in equipping journalists to tell stories that reflect our innovations as Africans, our complexities as countries. That is why we have decided to take this program continentally”, he concluded.

Also speaking at the launch, Churchill Otieno, Chairperson of The African Editors Forum (TAEF), noted that  TAEF is proud to be a partner because of its interest in investing in African-led solutions that will equip journalists with tools, ideas, and solidarity to tell better stories.

“We believe that the media should mirror an Africa that is resilient, creative, and diverse. It must also be a map to guide where it seeks to go: towards unity, justice, and prosperity. Innovation is essential for this to happen. Chinua Achebe told us that if you don’t like someone’s story, then write your own. And that is what we are beginning to do,” he explained.

What you need to know about MTN MIP

• The MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP), presently rounding off its fourth successful cohort in Nigeria, is a 6-month learning programme for media practitioners (journalists, editors, broadcasters, and content creators)
• The objective is to build the knowledge and skill base of the participants and help them understand the changing media landscape and how to effectively use technology to create impactful media content.
• It does this through an immersive learning experience that comprises 33 days of classroom sessions, 6 days of travel to South Africa, and visits to MTN head offices in Lagos and Johannesburg.
• Since its launch in 2022, the MTN Media Innovation Programme has trained 60 Fellows. With the addition of the 20 members of Cohort 4, the programme will now have 80 Fellows in its thriving alumni network dedicated to ethical practice, innovation, collaboration, and public interest storytelling.

Similar: MTN-MIP fellows tour Huawei’s 5G Innovation Hub, Support Centre in Lagos

MTN MIP Fellows’ study tour in South Africa

The launch coincides with the visit of MIP Cohort 4 to the company’s group headquarters in Johannesburg. The visit is part of their week-long study trip to South Africa.

Supported this year by South African Airways, the trip fostered cultural understanding, cross-border collaboration, and deepened bilateral relations.

As part of the tour, the fellows engage with South African media institutions and reporters, explore storytelling innovations, participate in panel discussions, and gain fresh insights into the role of media in shaping public discourse across Africa.

As part of their learning engagements, the fellows visited the University of Johannesburg and engaged leaders of the South African Institute of International Affairs, the University of the Witwatersrand, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), and the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa.