BusinessDay’s Chisom Michael, 40 others receive INMA Africa Elevate 2026 Scholarship

Chisom Michael, Head of Audience Engagement at BusinessDay Media Limited, has been named among 41 African media professionals awarded the Africa Elevate 2026 Scholarship by the International News Media Association (INMA).

The scholarship, which recognises and develops a new generation of media talent across the continent, was announced by INMA on Tuesday. Chisom was selected from a competitive pool of 114 applicants drawn from across Africa.

The awardees represent a cross-section of the media industry, including broadcasters, publishers, digital-first media startups, audience engagement teams, newsroom innovators, social media strategists, and emerging media leaders navigating the shifting realities of journalism and media business sustainability.

Announcing the recipients , Earl Wilkinson, INMA Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, said those selected represented “an exciting new generation of media thinkers,” with professionals drawn from both established media organisations and emerging digital-native platforms across Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Africa.

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Chisom brings a distinct combination of data analysis and storytelling to his work at BusinessDay Media, a leading business and financial publication in West Africa. In his role, he delivers data-driven insights that guide editorial decisions, strengthen content performance, and deepen audience connection.
Beyond his work in audience engagement, Chisom is a writer and top contributor to BD Weekender, where he covers news features, interviews, profiles, and industry reporting across business, technology, and society.

He also served as the Communication and Storytelling Lead at the BusinessDay Foundation, where he shaped narratives around social impact projects and development initiatives, work that placed community and purpose at the centre of media practice.

His wider work has seen him partner with individuals and organisations to strengthen digital presence, optimise media performance, and build more meaningful connections between brands and their audiences.

The Africa Elevate Scholarship Programme, launched in 2025, is designed to expose participants to practical strategies and trends shaping global media companies and to build stronger professional networks within the African news media ecosystem.
The programme will be delivered virtually through a series of livestream learning modules, global industry insights, and peer engagement sessions coordinated by INMA.

Esther Emoekpere

Esther Emoekpere is a data analyst in the audience engagement department at BusinessDay, where she uses data to understand reader behaviour, spot unusual trends, and support the newsroom with insights that shape story performance. She holds a BSc in Statistics from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. She also with the BD Weekender team, where she covers a range of beats including profiles, food, lifestyle, restaurants, and fashion—creating stories shaped by audience interest and real-time engagement trends.