Pantami and VON DG Ndace Mentor Young Communicators on Ethics, AI, and Professional Excellence
Participants of the PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship have concluded a series of high-level institutional tours, featuring intensive mentorship sessions with the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, and the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace.
The engagements in Abuja focused on media ethics, professionalism, artificial intelligence, national security, and the future of communication practice—further strengthening the Fellowship’s reputation as one of Nigeria’s foremost grooming platforms for young media talents. The tours were coordinated by Dahiru Lawal, Head of Special Projects and Fact-Check Desk at the PRNigeria Centre, and Zekeri Laruba, the Fellowship Coordinator.
While receiving the fellows, Professor Pantami underscored the importance of structured mentorship, describing it as the fastest route for young professionals to acquire wisdom that ordinarily takes decades to gather. He noted that no successful person is self-made, stressing that individuals grow faster when guided by those who have walked the path before them.
Pantami outlined the key qualities required in today’s media practitioners, including curiosity, objectivity, accuracy, fairness, integrity, and strong research skills. He warned against compromising ethical standards for financial rewards, political influence, or personal favours. Although he acknowledged artificial intelligence as a helpful verification tool, he insisted that AI cannot replace primary data gathering, ethical judgment, or human intuition.
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The professor of Cybersecurity encouraged the fellows to continuously upskill, reskill, and cross-skill, adding that modern communicators must be multidisciplinary to remain competitive. He also observed that Nigeria’s security challenges can be tackled more effectively through technology-driven intelligence and professional conduct within security agencies.
In his mentorship session, VON Director-General Jibrin Ndace urged the fellows to take their professional paths seriously and appreciate the access and influence that journalism and public relations provide. He cautioned them against misinformation, advising them to deepen their knowledge about the country and avoid sharing unverified content. According to him, media credibility depends on accuracy, restraint, and responsibility.
Ndace emphasised the importance of human relationships, social intelligence, and continuous self-development. He explained that mentorship opens doors to opportunities, recommendations, and even forgiveness in critical moments. He commended Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria, for its longstanding commitment to grooming young communication professionals, describing the fellows as a representation of the nation’s potential.
During the visit, the fellows toured key VON facilities, including the newsroom, digital media department, and control room, gaining a firsthand understanding of global broadcasting operations.
The PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship is a career-building programme for young Nigerian graduates aged 20 to 30 who are passionate about journalism, public relations, and digital communication. Organised by Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria and other titles, the fellowship runs across Abuja, Kano, and Ilorin. It focuses on strategic communication, public relations, journalism, fact-checking, social media management, and the application of AI in modern journalism. The programme blends lectures, workshops with industry leaders, hands-on training, and media excursions to provide a comprehensive and practical learning experience.
Supported by mentorship from some of Nigeria’s most respected communication experts, the programme continues to nurture a new generation of ethical, innovative, and socially responsible communicators.
