When I first walked through the gates of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) in Ogba, Lagos, I had many questions questions about my future, about journalism in Nigeria, and about whether I had chosen the right institution. But today, as I look through on my journey, I am confident of one truth, there is no better place to study mass communication in Nigeria than NIJ.
More than a school, NIJ is a training ground where voices are shaped, stories are told, and careers are built. It is where ambition meets discipline, where students are not just taught but transformed into professionals. I write this not as an outsider looking in, but as a student who has lived the NIJ experience and can boldly say, from a place of deep conviction, NIJ remains the best.
What sets NIJ apart is how it bridges theory and practice. Here, mass communication is not a mere academic subject, it’s a lifestyle. In class, we learn the technicalities of writing, reporting, editing, and public speaking, critical thinking and writing, drama and lots more. Outside class, we apply these lessons through realtime assignments covering events, recording interviews, running media campaigns, and publishing stories on platforms that reach real audiences.
Our lecturers, many of whom are active in the field, constantly challenge us to think, create, and improve. I remember vividly when one of my instructors, a veteran broadcast journalist, brought us into a live radio studio to experience the tension and thrill of on-air reporting, also gave us opportunity to record using radio equipment with proper understanding. That kind of exposure is rare in conventional universities and polytechnics. But at NIJ, it is routine.
Unlike many institutions that struggle with outdated tools or theory based instruction, giving students only theoretical knowledge without detailed information about how it should be used or done. Many of which those lecturers are not even sound in the field. NIJ gives students access to modern facilities. From a functioning studio and editing suites to cameras, boom mics, voice recorders, and MacBook editing bays we are exposed to industry standard tools, we are taught that being a student is not enough, we can also build our portfolios while still a student in school. Which is why many opportunities are available for students in NIJ. Opportunities like starting a program on radio yourself with the help our instructor, publish news stories on NIJ insights, leave every of the password of each platform to students just to make professional while still a student.
Whether you’re in the broadcast department, studying public relations, or specializing in print journalism, you get to work with professional grade tools and software. This prepares us not just to graduate but to excel in the workplace from day one. The professionalism of our lecturers do not only ends in class, it goes far to bring celebrities to class rooms to lecture the students on career growth and consistency. In this case, we are not only being given fish, lecturers are also given us strength on how to catch the fish ourselves. Guiding us to be better than them in our own time, just as they are better than those that taught them also.
The NIJ campus may be small in size, but it is big in spirit and purpose. Every corridor, lecture hall, and open space buzzes with energy students shooting documentaries, preparing news bulletins, holding group discussions, creating content, critical thinking on drama presentations, taking pictures or planning campus events. Several of community clubs are also in the school the likes of Press Club and ECOZON. All of these are active for students to relate with the outside world while still in school.
During our student week , we take the lead in organizing media symposiums, bringing in industry icons, publishing magazines, and running mock press conferences. These events are not just academic they are platforms that prepare us for the real media world, instilling confidence and leadership. We also vibe at least all work and no play makes all the students duller.
Being in Lagos, Nigeria’s media and entertainment capital, gives NIJ a unique edge. Within a 30-minute radius, you can find media giants like Channels TV, TVC, Arise News, The Guardian, Punch, The Nation, BBC Africa, and countless PR and advertising firms. For us students, this means access to internships, job shadowing, workshops, media tours, and part-time job opportunities. Many of my classmates already freelance for top blogs and news platforms, thanks to this proximity. NIJ’s location isn’t just convenient it is empowering.
One thing that constantly amazes me is the closeness between students and lecturers. At NIJ, you’re not just a registration number you are seen, heard, and supported. Our lecturers know our names, recognize our strengths, and push us toward greatness. I recall moments when a lecturer would personally call a student who missed class to check on them or probably ask other students in class to check on them instead, or another who stayed behind after lectures to coach us in presentation skills. These are not just teachers they are mentors.
In today’s media space filled with fake news, clickbait headlines, and harmful narratives NIJ stands firm in teaching media ethics and accountability. From our first semester, we are reminded that truth is sacred, accuracy is non-negotiable, and credibility is everything. Courses in Media Law, Ethics, and Public Responsibility shape us into communicators who do not just want to be popular we want to be responsible. And that is what the world desperately needs.
In a country where education can be expensive and inaccessible, NIJ stands out for being affordable yet high quality. The Institute offers top tier media education at a cost that doesn’t break students or families. This commitment to accessibility ensures that young people from all backgrounds can chase their dreams in mass communication without financial stress holding them back.
Whether you’re a fresh secondary school graduate, a professional switching careers, or a parent returning to school after years away, NIJ has programs that suit your lifestyle. With ND, HND, and PGD options available on full-time and part-time bases, the Institute welcomes learners at every stage of life. This diversity in the student population adds richness to class discussions where a 19-year-old aspiring journalist can learn from a 45-year-old media strategist.
We see them in the news, hear them on radio, read their bylines, and watch their campaigns NIJ alumni are everywhere. Their success stories give us hope. They often return to campus to speak to us, mentor us, and remind us that our dreams are valid.
To know that we walk the same halls that once nurtured the likes of Bimbo Oloyede, Lekan Otufodunrin, and several others is truly inspiring. It tells us that our own success story is already being written.
At NIJ, we are not waiting to graduate before we build our careers we are already on that path. We produce short films, host podcasts, launch media brands, and build digital portfolios while in school. The Institute encourages this entrepreneurship because it understands that the media world values initiative, not just credentials.
Many institutions teach mass communication, but few embody it the way NIJ does. This school doesn’t just give us lectures, it gives us confidence, purpose, and professional identity. It doesn’t just produce graduates it produces game changers. I came to NIJ with questions about my future. Now, I leave with answers, with skills, with networks, and with dreams that are already unfolding. This is why NIJ remains the best.Not by slogan, but by substance. Not by tradition, but by transformation. And not by chance, but by choice.
Chuks David
Egunjobi Michael
