In December 2023, INMA and Google News Initiative (GNI) awarded their fourth annual Elevate Scholarship to 50 news media professionals from 31 countries. This series features these impressive media professionals who are shaping our industry.

Ndume Green was still pursuing his journalism degree in 2009 when he became an intern at Ghana’s Local News Outlet — and immediately made an impression.

His undercover investigation broke up a cross-border racketeering and crime ring at the Benin-Nigeria border, resulting in many customs, immigration, and police officers from both countries losing their jobs. It also resulted in Ndume’s life being threatened, but couldn’t stop his determination to shine a light on wrongdoing.

Today, as news editor of the online platforms Ogonitv and Capital TV, Ndume continues creating high-quality content such as in-depth investigative reports and opinion pieces. He has added filmmaking to his skills, which won him the 2018 Mandela Washington Nigeria Alumni Award in Media Innovation. He is also a 2019 fellow of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and curator of the African Content Creation Festival.   

“My stories with both Capital TV and Ogonitv have attracted grants and funding from top organisations across Nigeria and Africa, with recent funding from the Bill Gates Foundation through its content partnership with Africa No Filters,” Ndume said.

But in addition to creating compelling content that covers critical issues, he has become involved in other aspects of the news business, too.

“I collaborate with the marketing team to design subscription packages and promotional campaigns to increase subscription numbers,” he said. “I support the product development team to create user-friendly and engaging digital platforms for our content, such as Web sites and mobile apps, and then help gather feedback from readers and analyse user data to continuously improve the user experience.”

Ndume also oversees new product development to diversify content offerings through such additions as podcasts, newsletters, and interactive features.

Celestine Akpobari, CEO of Ogonitv/CapitalTV, noted that Ndume’s commitment to local journalism has inspired others while bringing attention to issues that are usually ignored.

“Despite facing numerous barriers such as violence from militancy within the Niger Delta region, and limited finances, Ndume has consistently risen above challenges, going further to produce stories that have impacted many local communities,” Akpobari said. “His unwavering dedication to reporting important local stories has earned him the respect of our community. His works have shed light on critical issues often overlooked, amplifying marginalised voices.”

Ndume is eager to continue building upon his skills and is excited about elevating his business and storytelling skills.

“Learning advanced storytelling techniques that include narrative journalism will help me craft compelling and impactful stories, especially within the local communities, which is my main area of focus.”

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