Media Career Development Network

What's hindering your career progress?

Journalists are not often asked what's hindering the attainment of their career goals and aspirations.

Even when it's obvious that they are battling with many peculiar media industry challenges, many never get the opportunity to express their frustrations and ask for the support they need.

In the pre-launch survey for the programme we held last Thursday supported by NLNG, we asked journalists how well their careers are fairing and what support they need to fulfil their desires.

The responses we got were expectedly worrisome. The over 150 who completed the survey captured the grim state of career development in the industry.

The responses highlighted the following challenges and others

*Lack of Mentorship & Career Direction
*Limited Access
*Lack of Tools, Training & Digital Capacity
*Safety, Ethics & Institutional Constraints
*Poor Remuneration & Financial Instability

The full report with details of the challenges, including quotes and the support to be offered to the participants are in the link below.

“I believe I felt stuck for a long time before my current role. If I had the right mentor, they would have helped me make the right decision early enough to pivot to my current role, which I had dreamt of and set as a goal before getting into the media industry,” a journalist stated.

REPORT: Hampered Media Career Development - Media Career Services State of Media Career Development Report presented by Executive Director of Media Career Development Network, Lekan Otufodunrin, at the launch of Media Career Fix supported by NLNG

Our Media Career Fix programme supported by the NLNG was launched on Thursday, April 9 in Lagos with physical and virtual participants from across media organisations in the country.

Our Executive Director, Lekan Otufodunrin presented a State of the Media Career Development in Nigeria which highlighted findings from completed forms by participants on their career challenges and required support.

The keynote speech titled Fixing you first: The Hard about building a journalists Career in Nigeria was presented by Editor of Gist Nigeria and Career Mentor at BBC,Omótólá Adérìnsólá Adébánjo

Nigeria MediaAI Insight Newsletter
April 7, 2026

Editor's Note: Waiting for media AI po
licies

Who writes the algorithm?: AI, Africa, and the politics of repair

Safer-Media Initiative Trains Nigerian Journalists On Ethical AI Use, Warns Against Data Misuse

The Principles of Fact-Checking: An Academic and Professional Guide to Accuracy in Journalism

Journalism is evolving fast, and AI is right at the centre of it

AI in Journalism: Opportunities, Risks, and the Future of Newsrooms

The New York Times drops freelance journalist who used AI to write book review

https://mailchi.mp/be94a0dc7911/media-career-weekly-14208671

Supported by Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development

Nigeria MediaAI Insight | 07/04/2026 On a WhatsApp group for senior journalists in Nigeria, I asked anyone aware of any media houses in the country that has an AI policy to send it to me.

With the support of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), Media Career Development Network (MCDN) is inviting applications from journalists across Nigeria for a targeted Career Check-Up and Development Programme.

This initiative is designed to help journalists:
✔ Assess their career progress
✔ Identify gaps affecting their growth
✔ Receive personalised recommendations
✔ Access mentoring, coaching, and capacity-building support

If you are looking to grow your career, strengthen your skills, and gain clearer direction, we encourage you to apply.

Complete the form here: https://bit.ly/4sZ3Udr

Kindly note that this is a competitive process, and only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Deadline: Saturday, 28th of March, 2026

Artificial Intelligence is becoming a powerful tool in the media space, but its true value lies in how responsibly it is used. Journalists and communicators should see AI as a support for research, idea generation, and efficiency, not a replacement for originality, and ethical judgment.

Use AI wisely, verify information carefully, and let your human insight remain the centre of your work.

Nigeria MediaAI Insight Newsletter
March 9, 2026

Editor's Note
Useful AI Prompts for journalists

AI Prompts Journalists can actually use

How is AI reshaping journalism?

Meet the A3AIA Fellows 2026

Call for Trainees: AI, Newsrooms, & Women Journalists

International Women's Day Summit: Building Sustainable Digital Ecosystems for African Women.

Link to Newsletter

Nigeria MediaAI Insight | 11/03/2026 If you are a journalist trying to understand how to better prompt AI tools to get the best responses, the new eBook by Titilope Fadare Oparinde is a valuable resource to explore.

We are glad to announce the launch of our special publication highlighting opportunities and potentials for journalists and media professionals in 2026.

In this first edition of the Media Career OUTLOOK, replacing our Media Capacity Development Report, we have contributions from accomplished journalists, who, based on their knowledge of the industry and personal experiences, offered insights and suggestions that can guide journalists, broadcasters and other media professionals in their 2026 career journeys.

We also have the database of media Non-Governmental Organisations and support groups in Nigeria to make it easy to contact them and benefit from their various career enhancing programmes and activities.

Media Career Development Outlook 2026 - Media Career Services After four editions of our annual capacity development report, we have changed the focus of the publication to cover prospects and opportunities in the new year instead of documenting programmes and activities in the previous year.

Nigeria MediaAI Insight Newsletter
February 16, 2026

Editor's Note: AI is a tool, not a voice

Radio and AI: Innovation that empowers. Ethics that inspire. Trust that endures.

Ogun State NUJ Hosts Discourse on Radio, Artificial Intelligence

Call for Applications - RUSH with AI: Strengthening Your Radio and Audio Stories Beyond First Air

World Radio Day 2026: “AI is a tool, not a voice”

Leveraging AI while upholding journalistic ethics

Advocating the importance of artificial intelligence to radio journalism

Link to Newsletter

https://mailchi.mp/e0eafbaaf831/media-career-weekly-14207129?e=a58e28c111

Supported by Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development

Take that step today.

Watch out for our Media Career Development Outlook 2026 highliting prospects, opportunities, skills, resources and more with contributions by accomplished journalists and media professionals.

Watch out for our Media Career Development Outlook 2026 highliting prospects, opportunities, skills, resources with contributions by accomplished journalists and media professionals.