NAPE hosts media workshop to train journalists on effective reportage of oil sector

By Ibiyemi Mathew

The Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) has hosted its yearly media workshop to train journalists on how to creatively report the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

Stating the rationale for organizing the conference, the association said, “NAPE buoyed by a desire to enable the growth of oil and gas reporting competence of media professionals in Nigeria has organized this training for media professionals covering the energy beat of the Nigerian economy as well as oil and gas professionals working in the corporate Affairs departments in oil and gas companies.

“The oil and gas industry is highly technical in its processes and operations. It is important that the reportage of events in the oil and gas space is accomplished by oil and gas media professionals with competence and capacity.”

Mr Chido Nwakanma one of the facilitators for the training sessions noted that the job of the journalists is not just to report news but to report news that can be used.

He encouraged media praticioners to imbibe writing reports that can be useful in decision making and also to follow the stories they tell to the end.

Mrs. Sola Abulu, Principal Consultant for Sola Abulu and Associates delivering her presentation on “Using Data and Solutions Journalism in Media Reporting” advocated for increased opportunities for data and solutions journalism through partnerships with existing networks.

She said journalists should regularly represent data using visual designs in their reports to attract larger readership.

The Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) is the umbrella association for persons involved in the professional application of geosciences and related disciplines to the exploration and production of oil and gas in the country. It has over 12,000 strong membership which cuts across the oil & gas industry.