By|| Goodluck E. Adubazi || Abuja
As climate change continues to shape livelihoods, health, food security and governance outcomes across Nigeria, journalists are being equipped with new skills to tell climate stories that reflect real human experiences.
The Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE) has trained Nigerian journalists and content creators in Kano and Abuja on human-centred, solutions-driven climate reporting, aimed at strengthening accountability and public understanding of climate and governance issues.
The intensive workshops brought together media professionals from radio, television, print and digital platforms, focusing on how to translate complex climate and environmental issues into clear, compelling narratives that connect policy decisions to everyday life.
The capacity-building programme was designed and implemented by a Nigerian media consortium led by Goldapples Media Associates, in partnership with the Climate Africa Media Initiative and Centre (CAMIC) and African Newspage. The training prioritised practical reporting skills, ethical journalism and solution-oriented storytelling that links climate impacts to communities, institutions and governance systems.
Speaking on the goal of the initiative, Chief Executive of Goldapples Media Associates and Consortium Lead, Mr. Ayo Makinde, said the workshops were structured to change how climate stories are framed in Nigeria.
“Climate change should not be reported as a distant environmental issue,” he said. “It is a daily reality shaped by governance choices, policies and institutional performance. When journalists report climate change as a human issue, it strengthens accountability and deepens public understanding.”
Participants took part in hands-on sessions on impactful storytelling, governance framing and audience-focused communication, using Nigerian case studies to examine how climate decisions affect communities, markets and public services.
Among the facilitators was Mr. Aliu Akoshile, Executive Director of CAMIC, who guided participants on connecting climate science, emissions, climate finance, loss and damage, and climate justice debates to development planning and community realities in Nigeria.
Mr. Adam Alqali, Editor-in-Chief of African Newspage and Media Partnerships Manager for the project, led sessions on solutions journalism, ethical climate reporting and accountability reporting. He shared practical approaches to highlighting climate responses and governance reforms without crossing into advocacy.
As part of the practical learning component, participants tested a Climate Explainer Toolkit introduced by Ms. Helen Bassey Osijo, Project Manager and Chief Operations Officer at CAMIC. The tool is designed to help newsrooms explain complex climate issues clearly and responsibly, with baseline assessments conducted to track knowledge gains.
The workshops were supported by PACE, a Nigerian climate and governance reform programme funded by UK International Development.
Delivering a goodwill message, PACE Media Advisor, Ms. Enene Ejembi, emphasised the importance of journalism that puts citizens at the centre of climate and governance conversations.
“People-centred reporting helps Nigerians understand how climate and governance choices affect investment, jobs and economic opportunities,” she said.
Participants described the training as timely and practical, noting increased confidence in reporting climate stories that link policy, governance and human experience.
The media consortium reaffirmed its commitment to providing Nigerian journalists with tools and continuous professional development to strengthen accountability, deepen public understanding of climate issues and contribute to national development.
