CFI Training for Photojournalists in Nigeria 2023

“Naija in Lights” is a 12-month project implemented by CFI in partnership with StoryMi Academy, Radio France internationale (RFI) and the Alliances Françaises network in Nigeria

Are you a young journalist under 35 years of age, employed by one or more established media outlets (private or public and on a freelance or in-house basis), or active on social media and exhibiting a certain degree of influence among young people ? CFI is offering to train and support you and 9 other Nigerian photojournalists to strengthen their capacities to produce quality information photographs and develop a sustainable career plan.

What’s the Project about?

CFI has decided to establish a pilot project in Nigeria focusing on boosting the professional skills of photojournalists in the context of the 2023 general elections. This initiative aims to respond to a need expressed by the Nigerian and international media to be able to offer their audience photographic coverage, of both the electoral process, and of the current affairs. The use of photojournalism as a means of conveying information provokes critical thinking, empathy and solidarity. This initiative therefore also aims to encourage the practice of photojournalism as a lever for reducing political, social, cultural and economic divisions.

What do we aim to achieve?

The agency aims to boost the abilities of these 10 candidates in producing high-quality, impartial images that promote social cohesion. The project will give this group of photojournalists from different regions of Nigeria, with varied and often self-taught profiles, the opportunity to improve their technical and journalistic skills.

The aim of this project is also to allow them to develop a personal project related to the general elections in 2023 and with the aim of developing their capacity to make their work as a photojournalist sustainable and profitable.

This project revolves around two main components :

Component 1 – Two 7-day training sessions. The first will be devoted to photography techniques and the identification of an individual project (technical aspects, different styles of photojournalism, reading of photographic images, the ethical principles of photojournalism, the consideration of the principle of gender equality, the history of photojournalism in the world and in Africa). The second will be devoted to the principles of the photojournalism market and the development of an exhibition project (how to develop a viable personal project, identification of economic opportunities, exhibition of work, sell a pitch to editors, present your work in front of an audience).

Component 2 – Remote coaching for the creation of a personal project on the subject of the elections and participation in the organization of a group exhibition, which will be hosted by the Alliances Françaises network in Nigeria.

The support offered by CFI for the selected photojournalists :

Component 1:

One (1) training session on photography techniques and identification of an individual project, 7 days in Kano (to be confirmed).
One (1) training session on the principles of the photojournalism market and support for the development of an exhibition project, 7 days in Lagos

Component 2:

Remote coaching and support for the development of an individual project (production of a photo report), 3 days per beneficiary spread over 4 months
A joint exhibition of photographs organized by the Alliances Françaises network in Nigeria.

Benefit

The amount of 420.000 Naira (equivalent to 1000 EUR) is to be attributed to each beneficiary

Who can apply?

The applicants must be a young journalist under 35 years of age, employed by one or more established media outlets (private or public and on a freelance or in-house basis), or active on social media and exhibiting a certain degree of influence among young people (a number of subscribers on social networks (< 2k)). The applicants must be based in Nigeria and practicing press or journalistic photography for at least 2 years. They sound knowledge of the basics of photography (writing captions, basic understanding of how to read an image, proficient in basic editing, etc.) and desire to become a professional photojournalist and to make a living from this profession. They are independent and creative and apply the rules of independence and impartiality in their photographic work.

The group of beneficiaries will be composed of equal numbers of photographers from the south (South West, South East, South South) and from the north (North West, North East, North Central, Federal Capital Territory) and female applicants will be given higher priority.

Screening process

The selection process will take place in two stages :

1- Analysis of the online form containing the following information

– An introduction to the applicant, their career plan and their reason for participating in the project (4 pages maximum)
– A description of their photographic work with downloads of photographs with captions (min. 3 and max. 10 pictures)
– At least one reference from a person who has worked with the applicant
– Any other experience of relevance to the objectives and activities of the “Naija in Lights” project
– Letter of consent from the applicant’s supervisor if the photojournalist is employed by a media outlet
– Confirmation of availability for the entire duration of the project.

CFI will preselect applicants on the basis of this file. Those who are preselected will be invited to complete a test to evaluate their ability to read photographs.

2- Test : the applicants will be asked to

– Choose a photograph produced by another photographer and then assess and analyse it (10-15 lines)
– Submit a series of three of their own photographs on the subject of national unity.

The applications will be examined by a jury, who will assess the applications according to the criteria below. Applications will receive a score out of 100 points, with an obligation to achieve at least 30 points during phase 1 in order to move on to the next stage of the selection process.

The selection process should be fully completed no later than 1st November 2022.

See more details here

Dates to look out for