PwC Nigeria, a top professional service firm has reiterated the critical role the media plays in shaping Nigeria’s future and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting the quality of business reporting in Nigeria.
The company stated this at its 2019 edition of the PwC Capability Enhancement workshop for journalists and Media Excellence Awards, which for four years now, has rewarded journalists with cash prizes worth over N10 million.
In his welcome remarks at the workshop which held recently in Lagos, Uyi Akpata, Country Senior Partner, PwC Nigeria noted that journalists have a role in influencing public opinion; in reshaping the past; and in shaping the present and the future.
” It is in this regard that we have developed the Capability Enhancement Workshop to upskill journalists; while also celebrating the excellent work that journalists currently do to move Nigeria forward with the PwC Media Excellence Awards.”
This year’s edition of the workshop which was the sixth in the series included topics which aimed at equipping journalists with skills in interpreting financial reports, using technology and data to tell stories, and investigative journalism.
The training also featured a session on topical national issues like the impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on Nigeria’s economy and the new National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Data protection regulation.
The gala-night for the announcement of winners of the awards held at the Radisson Blu Ikeja on Friday 4th October 2019 with the journalists treated to a night of glitz and entertainment.
Speaking on behalf of this year’s judges, Taiwo Oyedele, West Africa Tax leader at PwC observed that the number of entries to the awards increased from last year by over 32 per cent to 163.
He also commended the journalists on the significant improvement in the quality of entries submitted, while noting the need for continuous improvement.
The winners of the 2019 PwC Media Excellence Awards included; Isaac Anyaogu, of BusinessDay, who won in the Business & Economy Reporting category for the entry ‘Dying in instalment: How lead battery recyclers are poisoning Nigerians’. Bayo Akinloye, of Thisday, was tops in the SMEs Reporting Category for the entry ‘Still Loading: How slow Internet Speed Under-develops Nigeria’s Economy, Stifle SMEs Growth.
Tax Reporting Category went to Kelechukwu Iruoma, of Ripples Nigeria, for the entry ‘Thugs rule in Rivers markets, force multiple illegal taxes on petty traders, as government feigns ignorance’; while the Capital Markets Reporting Category award was clinched by Oladeinde Olawoyin, of Premium Times, for the entry ‘What Islamic finance products can do to Nigeria’s capital market, infrastructural growth’.
One of the winners Isaac Anyaogu speaking after the event expressed thanks to PwC for organising this platform to reward journalistic excellence. “I think it is a great thing for the profession. It will always inspire other journalists to do great stories.”
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