‎Seplat tells Journalists: Build businesses, not just stories‎

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By Chioma Obinagwam
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‎Seplat Energy Plc jolted 50 journalists into entrepreneurial action at its 2025 Annual Media Training Programme, declaring war on career stagnation and retirement fears in a high-octane two-day bootcamp.
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‎Confiance News gathered that the leading independent energy giant transformed Abuja into a launchpad for media pros, arming them with tools to swap newsrooms for boardrooms and secure financial freedom beyond the byline.
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‎Kicking off with a mindset overhaul, renowned political economist Professor Pat Utomi dissected “Can Managers or Professionals (such as Journalists) Make Good Entrepreneurs?” He branded entrepreneurship a “quantum leap in value creation,” contrasting managerial routines with the bold, opportunity-seizing entrepreneurial spirit.
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‎Dr. Solomon Avbioroko, ex-Lagos Business School director, tackled psychological barriers in “Ego States Profile and Impact on Transactional Analysis,” revealing how self-awareness shapes interactions. In “Second Phase of Life: Overcoming the Phobia,” he reframed retirement as a “new beginning” for reinvention and legacy-building, not an endpoint.
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‎Confiance News learnt that Digital strategist Abiola Adedeji unpacked “Understanding Digital Marketing: With a Focus on Customer Journey Mapping,” highlighting how mapped customer paths fuel targeted strategies and lasting conversations.
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‎Lawyer-entrepreneur Uloma Okoro guided on “Developing a Business Model and Writing a Winning Business Plan,” warning pros to “test the waters” before plunging in. “Learn, unlearn, relearn—mistakes are your tuition,” she stressed.
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‎Chemical engineer Olu Onakoya doubled down on practicalities in “The Socio-Economic Environment and Challenge of Entrepreneurial Ventures: Entrepreneurial Leadership & Venture Financing” and “Financial Intelligence – Key Enabler of Prudent Investment,” blending lectures with real-world war stories.
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‎Multimedia producer Nnamdi Uwaemelulam closed with “Media Technology: Trends, Importance & Adaptability,” pushing adoption of algorithms, personalized content, and cross-platform innovations through hands-on exercises.
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‎Stanley Opara, Seplat’s Corporate Communications Manager standing in for Director Chioma Afe, praised attendees’ hunger for growth: “We’re building sustainable careers and unbreakable media partnerships.”
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‎The event mixed brain-teasing workshops, expert firestarter sessions, and peer debates, equipping journalists to dominate entrepreneurship in media or beyond—proving Seplat’s stake in a thriving, future-proof press.