Nigeria–South Africa ties deepen as MTN media summit opens in Johannesburg

Nigeria and South Africa are drawing closer together through the prism of media and education, as MTN Nigeria, the University of Johannesburg (UJ), and Nigeria’s Pan-Atlantic University launched the fourth edition of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) summit in Johannesburg on Monday.

The summit, themed “Harnessing the Potential of Media Diplomacy in Africa,” has brought together journalists, academics, and media executives from across the continent. Organizers say it aims to strengthen African media capacity while deepening diplomatic and cultural links between the continent’s two largest economies.

“International partnerships are very important for our faculty and universities. They help us move beyond teaching and into research, innovation, and critical engagements. Collaborating with MTN, Africa’s largest digital operator, places our continent at the helm of new strategic thinking on the media,” said Kammila Naidoo, executive dean of the Faculty of Humanities at UJ.

The summit’s backdrop is timely. South Africa will host the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November, and organizers say Africa’s media must be ready to project the continent’s agency in global conversations.

“By equipping journalists with digital and strategic skills, we are not just supporting careers, we are enabling the media to strengthen democracy, accountability, and African cooperation,” Naidoo said.

The program has gained traction since its launch in 2022, attracting record interest from Nigerian journalists. This year alone, MTN Nigeria received over 3,700 applications but selected just 20 fellows, underscoring the program’s reputation as one of the country’s most competitive media capacity-building initiatives.

“This program has become the most sought-after media partnership in Nigeria. Beyond data and technology, we want to impact society by helping journalists build the skills they need to thrive in a changing media landscape shaped by AI and digital disruption,” said Funso Aina, senior manager for external relations at MTN Nigeria.

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For the 20 Nigerian fellows in Johannesburg, the summit represents more than professional training—it is a chance to reframe Africa’s story in a time of global disruption.

Aina affirmed that, the summit is also a vehicle for continental diplomacy, adding that, “Nigeria and South Africa are the two economic powerhouses of Africa. If we get it right, the continent gets it right. That is why we bring journalists here, to deepen understanding and foster collaboration between both countries.”

The collaborative nature of the event was echoed by Isaac Ezechukwu, director of professional education at Pan-Atlantic University’s School of Media and Communication, adding that, “The MTN Media Innovation Forum is now recognized as the top-of-the-range media education endowment in Nigeria. It highlights the role of media as infrastructure for development, deserving commensurate investment and policy attention.”

For UJ, hosting the summit comes as the institution celebrates its 20th anniversary. René Benecke, head of the School of Communication, described the gathering as a space for recalibrating Africa’s narrative. “We must reject the single story of Africa as only about war, poverty, and corruption. This is an opportunity to reimagine our future, embrace creativity, and build bridges through media diplomacy,” she said.