How MTN is Championing Pan-Africanism, Enhancing Quality of Information Flow 

Undoubtedly, the overarching objective of the MTN-sponsored Media Innovation Programme is to foster media innovation and development, as well as to transform and empower media practitioners to take advantage of technology and innovation to do their jobs better and tell stories that needed to be told. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes on how the telecommunications and ICT group, beyond enhancing the quality of information flow, has also been championing Pan-Africanism 

When the third cohort of the 2024 MTN-sponsored Media Innovation Programme (MIP) visited the MTN Group Chairman, Mr. Mcebisi Jonas, on a certain Friday this September, in his office in South Africa, they certainly didn’t know what to expect from a man who was once a South Africa Deputy Finance Minister, before transitioning into the private sector. 

Few minutes into the conversation, he steered the fellows into an honest and meaningful conversation on the need to promote and project African in a better light, which he invariably believes will driving economic growth across the continent.

The MIP fellows were led by the trio of Dominic Khumalo, Senior Manager for Strategic Public Affairs at MTN South Africa; Lakinbofa Goodluck, Public Relations Manager at MTN Nigeria; and Director of Professional Education at School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Chief Isaac Ogugua-Ezechukwu, with support from PAU’s Samsideen Akano. 

The visit was part of the long line of engagements for fellows during their recent study tour to South Africa, as one of the criteria of the six-month long programme, which was sponsored by MTN to foster innovation and development, as well as to transform and empower media practitioners to take advantage of technology and innovation to do their jobs better and tell stories that needed to be told.

MTN’s Pan-Africanism and Quest to Improve Quality Flow of Information

One of the things the chairman harped on was on Pan-Africanism, of which he used the MTN group as a fitting example. According to him, the goal at MTN,  an ICT and Telecommunications giant, is to be proudly Pan-African. 

Elucidating, he said for MTN, it was in fulfillment of that Pan-Africanism that birthed the support being given to the media to tell the all important stories and improve the quality of flow of information.

He said: “The quality of dissemination of information in the continent has become an important dimension. In democracy, when there is no flow of information, it doesn’t only affect the economy of the continent but the democracy too.”

Canvassing for a United, Empowered Africa 

Stressing that a united Africa is essential for Pan-Africanism, he said “If there’s no relationship at the social, economic, and political level, it’s a huge problem for Pan-Africanism because Africa is diverse with different communal living but a joint Africa is crucial. Therefore, ensuring that South Africa/Nigeria thrives is as important to the rest of the continent.”

Speaking on ethnic stalking in African politics, Mcebisi said it does not serve any national interest, rather divisive and selfish, adding that it’s being used by people and political parties to chase agenda during elections.  

He said: “There is a lot of ethnic stalking going on in African politics. It is only selfish and does not serve national interest. Ethnic stalking must be stopped because it is divisive. There must be renaissance and a deliberate policy to promote national interest far ahead regional interest.” 

Shedding light on factors that could fuel xenophobia, he said issues like Demographic Anxiety owing to the growing inequalities that makes the poor to be poorer and the rich, richer.

He said: “Demographic anxiety could find expression in xenophobia. Recall that one of the political parties in the last election used border closure as campaign saying the country will be closed to foreigners taking their jobs.”

Amongst other things, he said government must create a Centre at the political level and call for a national dialogue, champion inclusivity, create jobs in digital economy, and as well grow the economy in all spheres. 

On the way forward for the continent, he called for major structural reform programmes while training the youth and creating new jobs for them to be kept engaged. 

He said: “We need to have structural reform programmes. We have to take growth seriously in transformation. We are a grossly unequal society so the focus should be on how to grow the economy and end inequality.”

Noting that the South African structure thrives on capitalised Wealth Distribution with built strong institutions, he said the continent must satisfy the poor and unemployed as well.

Propagating Media Innovation 

For the media, he said business owner must think of how to make the media attractive to investors, just as he charged journalists, including the MIP cohort not to be bendable and easily influenced by envelopes but by ethics. 

He also posited that the growth of digital media and shrinking operational assets can be averted if the media makes itself bankable and attracts the right kind of investments. 

Successes of the Media Innovation Programme 

Earlier, Dominic Khumalo, Senior Manager for Strategic Public Affairs at MTN, informed the chairman on how the MIP study tour has thus far been able to reshape the narrative of the continent by giving the Nigerian journalists opportunity to interface with their counterparts in South Africa, as well as expose them to all MTN is doing in the continent. 

In turn, Lakinbofa Goodluck, Public Relations Manager at MTN Nigeria, harped on the successes gained since the inception of the Media Innovation Programme, just as the

Director of Professional Education at School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Chief

Isaac Ogugua-Ezechukwu, went down memory lane on how they have been moulding the different cohorts at the university, courtesy of the magnanimity of MTN.

One the ways MTN found its expression of “What are we doing today?” slogan was by sponsoring the MediaInnovation Programme (MIP), a six-week long fellowship spread across six months for selected mediapractitioners in the Nigerian space “to increase their knowledge and skill base and help them understand the changing media landscape, and how to effectively use technology to create impactful media content”. Run by the School

 of Media and Communication (SMC) of the Pan-Atlantic University (PAU), the fully funded residential fellowship is open to media practitioners whether print, electronic, online platforms and social media content creators.

The certificate fellowship includes the study trip to the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, visits to the South African Broadcasting Station, innovation hubs in South Africa to incubate ideas and a tour of the MTN Group Head office in Sandton, as well as MTN Nigeria Headquarters. 

So for three years, the MTN has kept the faith in equipping media practitioners and innovators with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in a rapidly evolving media landscape

 and to tell the stories that need to be told, thus proving its commitment to improving the Nigerian media landscape

 and technology reporting.

In no particular order, the fellows include Chioma Chukwuemeka, Lead News, Sapientia International Media Centre; Anthony Obakeye, Producer/Reporter, CNBC Africa; Pius Chidiebere, Anchor, Signature Television;

Oluwadunsin Sanya, Senior Content Associate, BellaNaija; Chiemelie Ezeobi, Group Features Editor, THISDAY Newspaper; Nkechi Ogbonna, Senior Journalist Reporter, West Africa, BBC, West Africa; Blessing Agbeetan, Assistant Prog Manager, Women Radio 91.7 FM; and 

Aigbe Augustus, OAP/Producer, Cool FM.

Others include Stephen Angbulu, State House Correspondent, Punch Newspapers; Raahman Toheeb, Editor-in-Chief, Legit NG; Juliet Tontoye Pere-ere, General Manager/Broadcaster, Royals Roots FM; 

Ebunoluwa Dosunmu, Content Creator; 

Ayodele Ayokunle, Managing Director, Rock FM Jalingo and Taraba Truth; Oluwatomisin Amokeoja, Staff Writer, Forbes Africa; Moninkanola Ogidan, News Anchor/Editor/Presenter, Adaba FM; Johnstone Kpilaakaa, Senior Tech Reporter, BCSL – Bendada.com; 

Nifemi Oguntoye, Deputy Head of Presentation, TVC Communications; Prince Osuagwu, ICT Editor, Vanguard Newspapers; Omonike Babatunde, Broadcaster, Bright Broadcasting Ltd; and Lucas Ajanaku, Assistant Business/Head, ICT Desk, The Nation Newspapers. 

Quote 

The goal at MTN is to be proudly Pan-African. For MTN, it was in fulfillment of that Pan-Africanism that birthed the support being given to the media to tell the all important stories and improve the quality of flow of information. The quality of dissemination of information in the continent has become an important dimension. In democracy, when there is no flow of information, it doesn’t only affect the economy of the continent but the democracy too