By Sam Otuonye
Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has trained more than 50 journalists and other media stakeholders, as its shared commitment to promoting informed, accurate, and impactful reporting on Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Declaring the workshop open, the Executive Secretary, PTDF, Prof. Shuaibu Shehu Aliyu, stated the importance of strategic partnership with the media in shaping public discourse and driving national development.
“The media is far more than a conveyor of information; it is a strategic partner in shaping public discourse, promoting transparency, and driving national development. In an industry as technical and constantly evolving as oil and gas, effective journalism requires not only timely reporting but also a sound understanding of the policies, technologies, and issues that shape the sector.
“As the nation’s foremost human capacity development agency for the oil and gas industry, PTDF recognises that building capacity must extend beyond industry professionals to include those responsible for informing the public. By strengthening your understanding of the sector and of PTDF’s mandate, programmes, and interventions, we are investing in more accurate, balanced, and insightful reporting,” he noted.
Represented by Head of Press and External Relations, Mrs. Dupe Kay-Hambolu, Prof. Aliyu highlighted the mandate and achievements of the Fund and the need to report them with clarity and credibility.
“Our story is one of developing skilled manpower, advancing research and innovation, supporting local content, and contributing to Nigeria’s energy future. We believe these achievements deserve to be communicated with clarity, context, and credibility.”
He commended Journalists on their role in amplifying PTDF’s initiatives with professionalism, promising to strengthen the relationship through continuous engagement, openness, and mutual respect.
Facilitating this workshop, with the theme: Effective Journalism and Reporting in the Oil and Gas Sector for Energy Correspondence, in Lagos, Group Managing Director, Better Ways Consulting, Dr Dare Victor, urged the participants to always uphold the tenets of correctness, completeness, and compliance in reporting their stories.
Also speaking, a veteran Journalist, Mr Martins Oloja, enjoined the Journalists to write for value by creating contents that are significant and not prominent. He urged Journalists to strive to get closer to people who take decisions in government and organisations for firsthand information, stressing that investigative journalism is key to unravel hidden truths.
