The fifth cohort of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) has commenced a nine-day study tour of South Africa as part of its six-month fellowship aimed at equipping journalists with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the future of journalism and media innovation.
The study tour, which runs from August 28 to September 6, 2026, is designed to provide the Fellows with practical exposure to media practitioners, institutions, and ideas shaping the future of journalism and the wider African information environment.
During the immersion, the Fellows will engage with leading institutions, including MTN Group, Primedia, the Press Council of South Africa, Brand South Africa, and South Africa’s Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).
The engagements will focus on key issues affecting the media industry, including media accountability, innovation, nation branding, and the evolving media landscape.
A major highlight of the tour is a two-day MIP-5 Summit at the University of Johannesburg, where the Fellows will interact with academics, media professionals, and content creators on the business of journalism, emerging media opportunities in Africa, development journalism and the role of new media in shaping public discourse.
Before departing for Johannesburg, the Fellows visited MTN Plaza in Lagos, where they met with the MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Karl Toriola, and the Consul-General of South Africa in Lagos, Professor Bobby Moroe.
Toriola urged the Fellows to remain open to new ideas and experiences, while maintaining fairness and balance in their journalistic work.
“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.
The South Africa immersion combines academic sessions, industry engagements, and cultural experiences aimed at broadening the Fellows’ understanding of journalism beyond the traditional newsroom.
As part of the cultural component, the Fellows will visit Soweto, the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill, where they will explore important aspects of South Africa’s history, identity, and nation-building.
The tour will also culminate in Pretoria, with engagements focused on diplomacy and Nigeria-South Africa relations, before the Fellows return to Lagos on September 6.
The study tour forms part of the experiential component of the MTN Media Innovation Programme, complementing classroom learning with direct exposure to media institutions, industry practitioners, and the wider business and technological environment shaping the future of journalism.
Through the experience, the Fellows are expected to broaden their perspectives on the business of journalism, new media and technology, while strengthening their capacity to contribute meaningfully to Africa’s development and public discourse.
