Next Gen Intern Diary: Learning beyond Nigerian Newsroom, by Miracle Akubuo

By Miracle Akubuo

As my two-month internship with the New York Amsterdam News, facilitated by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development’s (CJID) Next Gen Internship Programme, comes to an end, I am overwhelmed by the achievements and growth during this period.

When I first received the notification that I had been selected as a social media intern with one of the leading newspapers in the United States, I was filled with excitement about experiencing journalism in an international newsroom.

Still in the same feeling, 26 May, 2026 marked the beginning of our internship journey, where we were introduced to the New York Amsterdam News’ Digital Editor, Josh Barker, who put us through the objectives of the placement and expectations throughout the period. 

After the first meeting, Mr Barker established a weekly meeting with all interns for training on how to share posts across various social media platforms. Just like I anticipated, I was exposed to the tools and process by which social media posts are timed and uploaded on various platforms. 

The social media training was going well until we were informed during one of our weekly meetings that our role as social media interns had changed and we were now expected to function as reporters in the newsroom, reporting happenings in Nigeria. 

The news was shocking, but my vision never changed. I was still focused on exploring and learning what working for an international media organisation entails. 

From social media intern to reporter 

We continued our internship, but this time as a reporting intern for the organisation. Amid the surge of misinformation on social media, I pitched an article on how social media proliferation fuels misinformation, worsening the security crisis.

In the report, I analysed how this misinformation fuels false alarms and worsens an already fragile security situation in Nigeria. I explored the broader impact of misinformation on the country’s security situation.

The report was approved and published a few days after the editing process, making it my first report with an international media organisation.

During our weekly meeting after my first report was published, Mr Barker commended the article and offered editorial feedback on word choice, style guide, and sentence structure that better serve an international audience. This was where my learning for an international media organisation began.

Lesson Gained

One of the most fulfilling parts of my journey as an intern with New York Amsterdam News is learning journalism beyond your own country. The two months spent with the international newsroom went beyond reporting facts to providing clarity and context for the international audience. 

Through Mr Barker’s editorial feedback after my first publication, I learned that organisation abbreviations, places, and concepts familiar to Nigerians, such as Boko Haram, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and the All Progressives Congress (APC), often need brief explanations to help international readers understand the story.

Also, I learned the importance of adapting to an organisation’s editorial standard. Unlike many Nigerian newsrooms that use British English, the New York Amsterdam News follows American English and the AP Style guide. 

These lessons, strengthened through Mr Barker’s detailed editorial feedback, changed the way I approach reporting.

Second month as a reporter 

My second month as an intern with New York Amsterdam News was also exciting, just like when we began. 

Having become familiar with the organisation’s story guide and style, I pitched a report on how schools have increasingly become targets for kidnappers in Nigeria. My report, which stemmed from the Oyo and Borno school kidnappings, focused on how school kidnapping is becoming prevalent in Nigeria and how the crisis is moving to the South West, as experienced in the Oyo school kidnapping.

The story did not just focus on the school kidnappings that have happened in the past or present, but explored the patterns and motives of this mass abduction. One of the major patterns I observed was how mass abduction of students is used as bargaining chips during negotiations between the armed groups and the Nigerian government.

It is worth noting that writing this report requires complex research and sensitivity. I went beyond writing what happened to understanding the patterns, reasons behind the actions, and inputting expert opinions to solidify my report.

As I round up my internship, I’m working on an explainer about the approved NYSC reform and its impact on Nigerian students. 

Although the internship lasted for two months, there has been a period of continuous learning about journalism practice beyond the Nigerian system. 

Finally, I would like to appreciate the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and the Campus Reporter project for this opportunity to work as an intern with an international outlet.