My week in West Africa ended in Ghana on Friday the same way it had begun in Nigeria on Sunday: with a group photo.
I visited newsrooms, led workshops, and joined informal gatherings. We learned from one another, and in the end, we stood together while someone captured the whole group.
At first, a group photo may seem trivial.
But it is also an expression: a moment in which people show one another respect and appreciation. It captures something deeply human: a collaboration among like-minded people. What’s more, a group photo is always an expression of joy.
Since when was joy trivial?
I went to West Africa not as a reporter, but as the director of Ringier’s School of Journalism. For many years, Ringier has invested in African media, operating platforms in Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, and Côte d’Ivoire. My goal was simple: to learn and to teach.
My first stop was Lagos, a city of 22 million. At the University of Lagos, I led a full-day workshop on the future of journalism: How do you develop a strong idea? And how is artificial intelligence reshaping the craft? The students were sharp, curious, and unafraid to challenge me.
Joining me were Pulse Nigeria’s editor-in-chief, Hillary Essien, Ringier Nigeria’s marketing director, Kanyinsola Aroyewun, and Triumph Johnson, Vice President, Direct to Consumer at Pulse.
At Ringier Nigeria’s headquarters, Business Insider Africa editor-in-chief Victor Oluwole walked me through Nigeria’s economic landscape and the kinds of stories from across the continent that too rarely make it into Western media. The sales team showed how they build campaigns for brands like Durex and run Honey & Banana, a family-planning channel.
I also met the video and tech teams — and was struck by Pulse’s reach: 22 million followers across social media platforms. With the entire editorial staff, we worked on developing new ideas and approaches for future reporting.
From Lagos, I continued to Accra. Not long after landing, I learned that in Ghana, everyday problems are solved in wonderfully simple ways — even inserting a SIM card. When I asked at the hotel how to open the SIM tray, the concierge stopped the first woman walking by and said: “Give me your earring.”
She understood immediately, removed the ring from her right ear, and he used it as a tool. “That’s how everyone does it in Ghana,” he said. A small moment, but one that stayed with me.
That evening, I had dinner with the Pulse Ghana team and was introduced to jollof rice and kelewele. The friendly Ghana–Nigeria food rivalry accompanied me all week.
The next day, I led a full-day workshop at Academic City University with journalists from Pulse Ghana, including editor-in-chief Andreas Kamasah, and students from Professor Michael Yamoah’s program. We discussed journalistic fundamentals, debated how to work with AI, and brainstormed story ideas: from street children in Accra to the currency cedi’s rise and fall, from the Ghana–Nigeria football rivalry to solutions for Accra’s traffic gridlock.
In the afternoon, I taught interview techniques. I was surprised – and impressed – that Ghanaian journalists never send quotes for approval before publication. “We would never do that,” said Kamasah. In turn, they were astonished to learn that Swiss politicians can retroactively delete statements from interviews.
I also visited a former British fort from which enslaved Africans were shipped to the Americas, as well as the museum dedicated to Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah.
Back at the Pulse newsroom, managing director Colette Amaeshi showed me the platform’s remarkable reach: 18 million followers, nearly half of all Ghanaians. “Every platform matters,” she said. “Especially X — that’s where Ghanaians debate politics.”
To end the week, I joined Pulse Ghana’s Friday town hall, answering questions about journalism and football. When asked who is the greatest player of all time, Ronaldo or Messi, I said: “It’s not even close. Obviously, Messi.” As everywhere in the world, that answer earned applause from one side and boos from the other.
Across both countries, one thing stood out: the energy, ambition, and creativity of young African journalists. I returned home with far more than I shared and immense respect for Ringier’s teams shaping the media landscape across West Africa.
You can see that spirit in each of the group photos.
