Some frontline auto companies have identified with the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) Annual Training programme by being sponsors of the event billed to hold Saturday, December 12 in Lagos.

Infinity Tyres

These companies are Massilia Motors (sole distributor of Mitsubishi vehicles in Nigeria); Coscharis Motors (distributors of Rolls Rolls, Ford, BMW etc); Stallion (distributor of Hyundai, Changang, Nissan etc); and Cars45, an online tech-driven platform for car sales/purchase.

In a statement made available to Transport Day, the organizers of the event say “All is now set for this year’s edition of the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) Training/Capacity Building programme on Saturday, December 12, 2020 at the Golden Tulip Hotel Essential, located on airport road, Lagos.”

This year’s training/capacity programme paper presentations is anchored on two themes; ”The Role Of Nigeria’s Automotive Journalists Amid COVID-19 Era’ to be delivered by Dr Oscah Odiboh, a lecturer at Covenant University Otta, Ogun State.

The second paper which is line with the digital migration in present day journalism is titled;  ‘Utilising  Social Media Tools in News Reportage By Journalists”, to be presented by Yusuf Aweda Jimoh, a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist, Network and Software Engineer

Expected at the event to give key note addresses are Aliyu Jelani, Director-General, National Automotive Design & Development Council (NADDC) and Boboye Oyeyemi, Corp Marshal, Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC).

According to Mike Ochonma, Associate Editor of BusinessDay and Chairman, Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA), the one-day training programme is expected at enrich and expand the knowledge of journalists in the topics slated as the automotive industry remains one of the critical sectors in the country and globally that cannot be ignored by government, foreign and private investors.

According to him ”Journalism is massively taking a new dimension in the face of digital  migration making it imperative for reporters to have analytical mind and be well informed in the beats that they cover.”

It would be recalled that Ford Motors South Africa (FMCSA) in collaboration with Coscharis Motors; its local franchisee were the lead sponsors of the first and second editions held in 2016 and 2017.

Stallion Motors Nigeria Limited, with Nissan Motors South Africa was the lead sponsors of the 2018 edition.

The NAJA training workshop is an annual training programme, organised to refresh the minds of practicing auto journalists on the trend of auto journalism worldwide. Members of the association cuts across over reputable print, electronic and online media outfits across the country.