Nigerian auto journalists to hold capacity building workshop

All is now set for this year’s edition of the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) Training/Capacity Building programme on Saturday, December 12, 2020 at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Lagos.

The 2020 edition is being supported by Coscharis Motors Plc, Stallion Automobile Group, Massilia Motors Limited and Cars45 Limited as part of their contributions towards the growth  of the automotive industry in Nigeria and globally.

This main paper for this year’s training/capacity programme is anchored on the theme, ‘The Role of Nigeria’s Automotive Journalists Amid COVID-19 Era’ to be delivered by Dr Oscah Odiboh; a lecturer at the Covenant University Ota, Ogun State.

The second paper, which is line with the digital migration in the present day journalism is titled,  ‘Utilising  Social Media Tools in News Reportage by Journalists’, to be presented by Yusuf Aweda Jimoh, a Microsoft-certified technology specialist, network and software engineer.

Expected at the event to give keynote addresses are Aliyu Jelani, director-general, National Automotive Design & Development Council (NADDC) and Boboye Oyeyemi, corp marshal, Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC).

According to Mike Ochonma, Associate Editor of BusinessDay and Chairman, NAJA, the one-day training programme is expected at enrich and expand the knowledge of journalists in the topics slated as the automotive industry remains one of the critical sectors in the country and globally that cannot be ignored by government, foreign and private investors.

He said, ”Journalism is massively taking a new dimension in the face of digital  migration making it imperative for reporters to have analytical mind and be well informed in the beats that they cover.”

It would be recalled that Ford Motors South Africa (FMCSA) in collaboration with Coscharis Motors, its local franchisee, was the lead sponsors of the first and second editions held in 2016 and 2017.

Stallion Motors Nigeria Limited, with Nissan Motors South Africa, was the lead sponsors of the 2018 edition.

The NAJA training workshop is an annual training programme, organised to refresh the minds of practicing auto journalists on the trend of auto journalism worldwide.

Members of the association cut across reputable print, electronic and online media outfits across the country.