More than 80 participants of the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa Executive Training Program (BMIA) graduated on the 22nd of February 2016 at the Sankara Hotel in Nairobi Kenya. The ceremony was a culmination of a six-month spread modular programme tailor-made to address the pertinent concerns of Africa’s business landscape.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr George Njenga, Dean Strathmore Business School said the fourth estate is the personification of journalism brought to life – a noble service that maps people’s livelihood and culture. “Today we witness the end product of a refined group of journalists, eager to transform business reporting,” he said.

And two of the trainee journalists were snapped up by Bloomberg to join its team of reporters. Adelaid Changole of KTN and Bella Genga of Citizen were picked from the second group and will be working for Bloomberg as correspondents for its various platforms including TV, Magazine and online.

Ms Erana Stennett, Director of Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa challenged the participants to aggressively report on the effects of climate change, education, budgets and stock market trends which will inform the decisions of various partakers of information. “We hope participants will consider this exposure to business and financial reporting as a life-long vocation to further the development, quality, accuracy and impact of the field in Africa. Bloomberg is proud to partner with eminent journalists and leading universities in Africa to make this program a possibility,” said Ms Stennett.

The Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA) Executive Training Program to advance financial journalism in Africa marked the completion of its first year with 260 graduates receiving recognition at graduation ceremonies in Nigeria and South Africa, concluding in Kenya on 22 February.

Dr Haron Mwangi, the CEO of Media Council of Kenya, lauded the programme, saying it fills the gaps in financial reporting.

The six-month programme, which is offered through modules, targets journalists and mid-career professionals in business and civil society to strengthen their skills in capital markets and data analysis and enhance their knowledge in financial and economic reporting.

The programme is a core component of the BMIA, which aims to accelerate development of a globally competitive media and financial reporting industry as well as promote transparency, accountability and good governance in Africa.

Funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, with additional support from the Ford Foundation, the BMIA Executive Training Programme brings together leading faculty from the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) and five other preeminent business and journalism schools in Africa, including Rhodes University School of Journalism in South Africa; the University of Lagos Department of Mass Communication and Radio, and the Pan Atlantic University Lagos Business School in Nigeria; Strathmore Business School as well as University of Nairobi, School of Journalism and Mass Communications in Kenya

The third intake was closed on March 4th and training begins in April.