MCDN unveils career development programme for journalists

...Over 150 journalists to benefit from initiative

More than 150 journalists are set to benefit from the Media Career Development Programme, Media Career Fix, organised by the Media Career Development Network (MCDN).

MCDN's Executive Director, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin, announced the programme, which Nigeria LNG Limited supports, at its launch in Lagos last week.

After assessing participants’ career progress and identifying gaps affecting their growth, Otufodunrin explained that the journalists will receive personalised recommendations, participate in relevant training sessions, and gain access to mentoring, coaching, and other capacity-building support.

Presenting a report on the state of media career development, Otufodunrin said a survey conducted ahead of the launch revealed, among other findings, that many journalists in the country lack mentorship, career direction, access to necessary information and data resources, as well as tools, training, and digital capacity.

Journalists who responded to the survey also identified safety, ethics, and institutional constraints, as well as poor remuneration and financial instability, as major constraints hindering their career growth.

To address the identified challenges, Otufodunrin said beneficiaries of the programme will receive career strategy and clarity, a structured mentorship system, and improved access to opportunities.

They will also receive training in digital readiness, economic empowerment, and sustainability strategies.

Instead of selecting only 30 beneficiaries as originally planned, Otufodunrin explained that MCDN decided to support all respondents due to the severity of the challenges they highlighted.

He thanked Nigeria LNG Limited for its support and urged participants to maximise the career-enhancement opportunities available to them.

“It is important for journalists to be intentional about achieving their career goals and aspirations instead of leaving things to chance,” Otufodunrin said, noting that the Media Career Check-up/Media Career Fix initiative is a wake-up call for journalists to take charge of their career development.

In her keynote address titled “Fixing You First: The Hard Truth About Building a Journalism Career in Nigeria,” Editor of Gist Nigeria and Career Mentor at BBC, Ms. Omotola Adebanjo, noted that until individual journalists address their own gaps, no newsroom, mentor, or opportunity will be sufficient.

While acknowledging the various crises facing journalism globally, Adebanjo said journalists should stop telling themselves that they will grow only when they join the right newsroom.

“You don’t grow because of the newsroom; you grow because you decide to—then the newsroom will catch up with you,” she said.

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She recommended “personal fixing” in areas such as skills ownership, visibility, adaptability, and financial responsibility.

Adebanjo, however, noted that news organisations also have a role to play in supporting journalists’ development.

She urged organisations to stop treating journalists as replaceable labour, invest in training (not just output), and build structured mentorship pipelines.

Media organisations should also reward innovation, not just routine reporting, and protect editorial independence.

The launch attracted both physical and virtual participants from across the country.

Special guests at the programme included a Board of Trustees member of MCDN, Alhaja Shekinat Lawal; Founder of The Journalism Clinic and Executive Director of Media Mentors Leadership Academy, Ms. Joke Kujenya; Executive Director of Illuminate Nigeria Development Network, Ms. Anikeade Funke Treasure; Founder of Debisibusybee Media, Mrs. Adebisi Adetunji; and the Executive Director of Media Mentors Network.