MTN Nigeria has recognised outstanding media professionals from its Media Innovation Programme (MIP) at the inaugural MIP Alumni Awards, held on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at the MTN Event Centre, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The event brought together MIP fellows, journalists, broadcasters, digital creators, and industry stakeholders to celebrate impactful storytelling and contributions to media development across Africa. It also marked the formal welcome of the programme’s fifth cohort.
Four Awards, Four Standout Journalists
Johnstone Kpilaakaa, Sub-Editor and Head of Standards at HumAngle Media, took home the Social Impact Story of the Year award and a ₦1 million prize for his report on displacement and abandoned communities in Benue State.
Royal Ibeh, Head of Tech Desk at BusinessDay, won the Digital Storyteller of the Year award (also worth ₦1 million plus a one-year MTN internet subscription) for a report examining the gap between Nigeria’s broadband infrastructure ambitions and the internet access realities facing millions of citizens.
Victory Wilson, Broadcast Journalist and News Anchor at Silverbird Television, was named MIP Fellow of the Year, receiving ₦1.5 million in recognition of her work in mental health advocacy, youth engagement, and purpose-driven storytelling.
The night’s top honour, the Media Innovator of the Year award, went to Chioma Chinyere Chukwuemeka, News Lead at Radio Sapientia 95.3FM, Onitsha. She received a ₦3 million prize for UMIR (Universal Multimedia Impact Resources), an AI-powered platform focused on digital safety, ethical technology education, and youth empowerment, particularly for women and girls.
A Programme Built on Media Capacity Development
Launched in 2022 in partnership with the School of Media and Communication at Pan-Atlantic University, the MIP has grown into one of Nigeria’s leading media capacity development initiatives. The programme combines training, mentorship, and international exposure to equip media professionals for an increasingly digital landscape.
Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Nigeria, represented at the event by Chineze Gbenga-Oluwatoye, described MIP as more than a fellowship, calling it a community built around learning, growth, and shared impact. He urged the incoming fifth cohort to maximise the opportunities ahead of them.
The awards signal MTN Nigeria’s continued investment in the journalists and storytellers shaping public discourse across the continent.
