Foremost Nigerian indigenous energy company, Seplat Energy Plc, has trained an additional 50 journalists and media practitioners in the third edition of its media training in line with the company’s sustainability commitments.
The media training programme, organised in partnership with Channels Academy, held in Abuja, the nation’s capital had, in attendance journalists/media practitioners in the energy, finance, capital market, judiciary, and general business beats.
The two-day media training, themed, “Retooling the Media for Better Reporting”, discussed local and international energy market overview: the intersection of the judiciary and energy sector and the fundamentals of energy journalism.
Insights were also shared on reporting Nigeria’s local energy giants, legal compliance and best practice, data analysis and interpretation as well as leveraging technology in journalism.
The training programme was facilitated by industry experts including, Martin Ayankola, veteran energy editor; Dr. Paul Haris Ogbole, SAN, Simon Ejembi, Editor/Senior Manager, Channels Digital; Taiwo Adesina, video production specialist/drone pilot, and Emonye Adekwu, SAN.
Manager, Corporate Communications, Seplat Energy Plc, Stanley Opara, who represented the Director, External Affairs and Social Performance, Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, reiterated Seplat Energy’s commitment to the continuous empowerment of journalists and the media as a whole, describing media as partners in progress.
He described the media as critical stakeholders of Seplat Energy, saying, the development of the media industry in terms of skills and capacity advancement, remains dear to the Company and its leadership.
General Manager, Channels Academy, Kingsley Uranta, while emphasising the role of the media in national development, said there is the need to build more capacity in the media space.
Responding, the journalists and media practitioners in attendance under the aegis of Energy Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN) and the National Association of Judicial Correspondents, Abuja (NAJUC), commended Seplat Energy for its support and commitment to the Nigerian media calling on other corporate organisations to emulate the gesture.
According to the participants, all hands must be on deck to better the fortunes of the country’s media industry.
While certificates were presented to journalists, the event also featured group discussions on ethical scenarios and presentations.
Seplat Energy had earlier conducted such media trainings, twice, for Energy and Judiciary, as well as Capital Market and Business Correspondents/Editors in Lagos.