The European Union (EU), in collaboration with Search for Common Ground (SFCG) and the Step-Up for Women in Journalism Initiative (SWIJ), has trained female journalists on career advancement strategies and digital skills to help them thrive in today’s rapidly evolving media landscape.
The two-day workshop, themed “Career Advancement Amid Evolving Dynamics,” held in Port Harcourt on Friday. It was organised by SWIJ in partnership with the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, with funding support from the EU, SFCG Nigeria, Media Career Development Network (MCDN), and the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND).
Mrs. Ann Godwin, Team Lead of SWIJ, said the training was designed to empower women journalists with essential digital tools and strategies to remain competitive. She stressed that emotional intelligence was key to career progression, noting that success depended not only on knowledge but on how it was applied to create value and societal impact.
She urged participants to set clear career goals, cultivate a positive mindset, prioritise self-care, learn from past experiences, and address challenges with emotional maturity.
Delivering the keynote address, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, former Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, cautioned journalists against over-reliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially in investigative reporting. While acknowledging AI’s benefits, she underscored the enduring importance of critical thinking and human input.
Semenitari also encouraged female journalists to invest in continuous self-development, stressing that their natural intuition provided a unique edge in investigative work, an area she said remained underutilised.
During one of the sessions, Elizabeth Aduku, a member of the Common Ground Journalism Forum, advised journalists to harness social media for community peacebuilding. She highlighted the need for conflict sensitivity, digital literacy, and fact-checking skills to curb misinformation.
Also speaking, Mr. Sunny Dada, Mass Media and Information Management Coordinator for SFCG, advocated for solution-driven journalism. He warned against sensational reporting that could fuel conflict and urged practitioners to promote unity through constructive storytelling.
In the same vein, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin, Executive Director of MCDN, called on journalists to constantly update their professional profiles and upgrade skills in areas such as fact-checking, data journalism, analysis, and multimedia content production.
