With the right information and a strong commitment to learning, 2026 offers everything you need to become the campus journalist you aspire to be – Shereefdeen Ahmad
For years, campus journalism has served as a wellspring, producing outstanding journalists in the Nigerian media landscape. It has expanded beyond the limits of a mere extracurricular activity, now presenting itself as a source of livelihood.
The Nigerian media career outlook for 2026 suggests that the gap between good student journalists and professional journalists remains very narrow. With the right training and opportunities, campus journalists are proving that their skills can compete with mainstream standards, as some even freelance for international publications.
First, as a campus journalist, note that every media opportunity open to Nigerian journalists is also available to you, except those explicitly requiring a degree or certification. But how do you reach the stage of rubbing shoulders with professional media practitioners? It starts by utilizing opportunities designed specifically for student journalists.
CJID Next-Gen/Campus Reporter Opportunities
Just as in previous years, 2026 holds valuable prospects for campus journalists. The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) continues to reiterate its commitment to supporting student journalists through its Next-Gen/Campus Reporter internship. From focusing on data-driven investigative reporting to emerging trends in AI journalism, CJID’s training and support remain a gateway to top-tier professional journalism. The organization, through Campus Reporter, also accepts pitches on a rolling basis to help campus journalists produce outstanding stories.
As a campus journalist, building a portfolio of good stories early in the year will position you for success in 2026. For instance, the CJID Alfred Opubor Next-Gen Award celebrates outstanding campus journalists in Nigeria who have produced incredible stories throughout the year. In its 2025 edition, the winner received N500,000, while the first and second runners-up received N300,000 and N200,000, respectively. The Youth Digest Journalism Awards, organized by Youth Digest, equally celebrates student journalists across the country. All these opportunities await campus journalists in 2026.
Dataphyte Academy and The Next Advocates
More recently, the Dataphyte Foundation, through its Dataphyte Academy project, has launched several initiatives geared towards the capacity building of campus journalists. 2026 will be no different. As digital storytelling, data-driven narratives, and AI stand at the center of modern journalism, Dataphyte Academy remains a hub that bridges these gaps by equipping student journalists with the necessary skills to thrive in this competitive industry.
The Liberalist Centre has also launched The Next Advocates, a project dedicated to exposing student journalists to pro-freedom journalism. This is a rare kind of journalism in Nigeria (and in Africa at large) that advocates for individual liberty, limited government and free market.
Beyond the custom of writing news reports and feature stories, campus journalists must now incorporate digital skills into their reporting by mastering tools like Canva, Datawrapper, and Google Earth. Use Datawrapper to turn complex figures into engaging charts for a student union expenditure report, while Google Earth to visualize changes in campus infrastructure or environmental issues over time.
As a student journalist, consider your campus media outlet a startup and treat its activities with the utmost seriousness and commitment. That is where you grow freely. That is where you are corrected with a smile. And that is where you acquire the right writing and journalism skills to make yourself eligible for opportunities meant for professional journalists.
My own journey stands as a testament to the strength of commitment. With five years of journalism experience, and two and a half years dedicated exclusively to campus journalism, I realize how commitment and consistency shapes competency. My first fully-funded professional media opportunity came in 2023 with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) under its Promoting Democratic Governance Reporting Project, which involved a three-day intensive physical training. Trust me, only five percent of what was taught throughout the sessions was alien to me—all thanks to my commitment to the activities of my press outlet on campus.
As you look forward to navigating the media landscape in 2026, stay glued to platforms like the Media Career Development Network, where media opportunities and journalism tips are published. With the right information and a strong commitment to learning, 2026 offers everything you need to become the campus journalist you aspire to be.
READ MORE 2026 MEDIA CAREER OUTLOOK: What it takes to break into journalism
Shereefdeen Ahmad is an award-winning journalist based in Nigeria with a keen interest in sports, health, pro-freedom, education, fact-checking, and investigations.
He was crowned the overall winner of the 2025 CJID Alfred Opubor Next-Gen Award and the 2024 Journalist of the Year at the Youth Digest Journalism Awards, where he also received the Sports Writer of the Year Award and was a first runner-up in the Investigative Journalist of the Year category at the 2025 edition.Shereefdeen was among the three candidates selected across Nigeria to participate in the Africa Is Not A Country Exchange Program to Denmark, an initiative organised by YouthHubAfrica in partnership with World Best News (WBN).
