Training Nigerian Journalists on Entrepreneurship: Kano and Kaduna
Almost seventy journalists and producers from radio, television and print media organizations, as well as journalism students, participated in two 5-day workshops on Business & Entrepreneurial Journalism, organized by the Voice of America at Bayero State University in Kano (BUK) and Kaduna State University in Kaduna (KASU) in September 2016.
The workshops were funded by the U.S. Embassy Abuja as part of a two-year Journalism Entrepreneurship Training Program. In 2015, VOA donated to each — BUK and KASU Departments of Communication, two Mac computers and 13 iPhones with tripods that were used for training. The workshops were held in the training halls on campuses of BUK and KASU. Leo Keyen, Chief of VOA Hausa Service, told participants that the training goal was “not to make you entrepreneurs, but to equip you as reporters with skills to report on entrepreneurship in a compelling way, to spur people who come in contact with your stories to want to become entrepreneurs on their own.”
Heads of Departments of Mass Communication, Business Administration and Entrepreneurship Studies were invited to talk to the training participants at both universities. Expert speakers presented an overview on the entrepreneurship industry in Nigeria with emphasis on infrastructure and funding support available in the country, and encouraged journalists to study Entrepreneurship at BUK and KASU. During hands-on sessions, journalists visited vocational centers and interviewed local entrepreneurs, developed story ideas and participated in script-writing exercises. More than 60 stories on entrepreneurship were produced by the training participants and aired on local radio and TV stations across northern Nigeria within three weeks after completion of the workshop.
Nneka Luke, reporter from Liberty Television/Radio Kaduna, commented, “I am greatly motivated with what I have gained here. I am particularly emboldened by the fact that the lead trainer is based in Nigeria and is willing to receive stories from me for editing. I wish this kind of training will continue in the future.”