By Campus Reporter
Ndidiamaka Ede is a Campus Reporter alumna who now works as a journalist with Premium Times, Nigeria’s leading investigative newsroom. In 2024, Ms Ede participated in the project’s Empower Women in Media Cohort (EWMC) and later proceeded to the Campus Reporter Next Gen Internship programme.
Recently, she was shortlisted among the final 12 nominees for the 2026 Thomson Foundation Young Journalist of the Year Award.
Her journey towards practising journalism was not sporadic. It began in 2022 during her second year as a Mass Communication student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). She saw the need to complement her classroom knowledge with actual practice, and that led her into campus journalism. At that time, she primarily wrote basic news reports and contributed to platforms such as The Sun and Prime Business Africa.
“I covered events and reported what happened, who was involved, and the key details the audience needed to know. That was all,” she told Campus Reporter.
Ndidiamaka’s Experience with Campus Reporter
Ms Ede’s reporting was limited to straight news writing until her final year, when she learnt about Campus Reporter through a call for applications for the project’s Empower Women in Media Cohort (EWMC). The EWMC is a Campus Reporter initiative designed to address the gender gap in the news and media industry by equipping young female journalism enthusiasts with the skills and knowledge to practise journalism and grow into leading professionals.
The opportunity seemed timely for her since she was preparing to transition from campus journalism into the wider media industry. Fortunately for her, she met the training requirement and was selected.
Participating in the EWMC programme changed her approach to reporting. She came to understand that journalism goes beyond reporting what happened; it also involves uncovering the deeper nuances surrounding an issue. This understanding has continued to shape how she approaches her subsequent reporting, including her work at Premium Times.
She gained skills in investigative reporting, data journalism, multimedia storytelling, among others. As part of the programme, she produced a story titled Trail of Tears: How Enugu Market Demolition Leaves Devastated Traders Helpless.
Beyond developing her reporting skills, Ms Ede said her engagement with Campus Reporter helped her reconnect with the purpose that had drawn her to Mass Communication in the first place.
“Before studying the course, I knew I wanted to use communication to contribute to solving societal problems and promoting development, but I did not know exactly how to do that,” she said.
Following her graduation, Ms Ede applied for Campus Reporter’s Next Gen Internship Programme, which places recent graduates and SIWES students in newsrooms to gain industry experience and kick-start their careers in mainstream media. She was placed at Crisp Nigeria, where she strengthened her reporting skills.
Ms Ede also acknowledged Campus Reporter’s role in supporting her leadership growth. While she was president of the Union of Campus Journalists, UCJ-UNN, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID, through the Campus Reporter project, provided funding support for the union’s induction ceremony and website launch, bringing media professionals together to train more than 100 campus journalists.
“This showed me that Campus Reporter was not only creating opportunities for my growth but also helping me create opportunities for those I led,” she said.
The EWMC and the Next Gen Internship at Crisp Nigeria also helped her build valuable relationships with media practitioners and mentors.
“Looking back, I would say Campus Reporter accelerated my growth and helped me develop a clearer sense of direction as a journalist,” she added.
“Campus Reporter Helps Young People Understand the Practice of Good Journalism”–Ndidiamaka Ede
Applauding Campus Reporter, Ms Ede describes it as a vital initiative that does more than teach aspiring journalists what good journalism should look like. She says it also provides opportunities for them to understand and practise it.
She said that “while students may learn the principles of journalism in the classroom, opportunities to apply those principles, receive guidance and understand the demands of professional reporting are equally important,” and these, she says, Campus Reporter provides to young journalists.
Advice to Campus Journalists
Beyond making strides in her career, Ndidiamaka Ede is also contributing to the development of upcoming journalists through mentorship. As a past president of UNN’s Union of Campus Journalists, she continues to mentor young journalists, sharing some of the lessons she learnt through Campus Reporter.
“I remind them never to compromise public good or integrity for short-term benefits,” she added.
Ndidiamaka also advises campus journalists to be intentional about their professional development by investing in practical skills and seeking opportunities that prepare them for the demands of the profession. She particularly encourages them to take advantage of Campus Reporter’s training opportunities, awards and other initiatives.
“Having benefited from these opportunities myself, I understand their value and urge them to apply.”
Alumni Spotlight: Ndidiamaka Ede
By Campus Reporter Ndidiamaka Ede is a Campus Reporter alumna who now works as a journalist with Premium Times, Nigeria’s…
Worship without stigma: How the Church of Christ’s inclusion policy offers hope to people with disabilities
By Eugene Atsu For many persons with disabilities, interactions with able-bodied individuals often heighten their awareness of their condition and…