MTN MIP-5 Fellows Head to South Africa to Explore Future of Journalism

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MTN MIP-5 Fellows Head to South Africa to Explore Future of Journalism

Nigeria’s next generation of media professionals is taking its learning beyond the newsroom, as the fifth cohort of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) embarks on a nine-day study tour of South Africa.

Running from August 28 to September 6, 2026, the tour is part of the six-month fellowship designed to expose participants to emerging ideas, technologies and business models shaping journalism and the wider African information landscape.

During the South Africa immersion, Fellows will engage with leading media, government and communications institutions, including MTN Group, Primedia, the Press Council of South Africa, Brand South Africa and the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).

Discussions will cover media accountability, innovation, nation branding, development journalism and the rapidly changing media environment.

One of the major highlights is a two-day MIP-5 Summit at the University of Johannesburg, bringing the Fellows together with academics, media professionals and content creators to examine the business of journalism, emerging opportunities in Africa and the growing influence of new media on public discourse.

Before leaving Lagos for Johannesburg, the Fellows visited MTN Plaza, where they met with MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Dr Karl Toriola, and the Consul-General of South Africa in Lagos, Professor Bobby Moroe.

Toriola challenged the Fellows to remain curious, open to new experiences and committed to fairness in their journalism.

“My charge to you is to keep that fire burning. Keep exposing yourselves to new things, keep learning and challenging yourselves, and never stop growing,” he said.

Beyond classroom and industry sessions, the tour will expose participants to South Africa’s history and culture through visits to Soweto, the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill.

Pretoria will also feature in the programme, with engagements focusing on diplomacy and Nigeria-South Africa relations before the Fellows return to Lagos on September 6.

For the Fellows, the tour represents an opportunity to connect classroom knowledge with real-world experience across journalism, technology, business and public communication.

Organisers expect the experience to deepen participants’ understanding of the evolving media industry while equipping them with broader perspectives and practical insights to contribute more effectively to journalism, development and public discourse across Africa.