Journalists who participated in a one-day workshop organized by EfD Nigeria have called on the center to strengthen its engagement with the media to boost public awareness and policy action on environmental issues.
At the end of the training held on October 30, 2025, participants suggested that EfD Nigeria should institute a research grant to encourage journalists to pursue in-depth environmental reports, particularly in areas that align with the center’s research interests and policy advocacy projects.
They also suggested that EfD Nigeria should make its experts more accessible for interviews and commentary on national environmental debates, and also hold more frequent workshops to deepen the collaboration between journalists and the center.
Aimed to build capacity on environmental issues
The training, which was EfD Nigeria’s second for journalists, brought together about 15 participants from various media organizations. It was themed The Role of the Media in Promoting Environmental Research.
The Deputy Director of EfD Nigeria, Prof Innocent Ifelumnini, who represented the director, said that the training aimed to build the capacity of Nigerian journalists to cover environmental issues accurately, creatively, and effectively, and enhance the relationship between journalists and EfD Nigeria to expand the center’s policy advocacy reach.
“We wish to familiarize reporters with critical environmental policy debates in Nigeria, especially as it concerns climate finance, carbon markets, waste management, and climate change,” Innocent Ifelunini said.
Encouraged using EfD resources
He highlighted the media’s crucial role in translating complex research findings into compelling public narratives that drive awareness and influence environmental policy.
Innocent Ifelumni encouraged the journalists to leverage resources on EfD platforms to promote evidence-based reporting and stimulate national dialogue.
The journalists were introduced to how to source news materials from EfD’s website.
Other presentations made at the workshop include: interpreting environmental research for public communication; environmental challenges in Nigeria, the role of EfD Nigeria in providing evidence-based solutions, data journalism and the use of infographics in environmental reporting
Participants described the training as timely and enriching, pledging to apply the new insights in their reporting to strengthen the link between research, media, and policy.