Sanlam Group on Sunday said that it had trained no fewer than 600 financial journalists across the African continent through the Sanlam Summer School which began 20 years ago.

Ms Pearl Majola, Head, Group Communications of Sanlam announced this at the opening dinner for 2023 Sanlam Summer School For Financial Journalists across Africa held in Pecan Manon, Hartbeespoort in South Africa.

The theme of this year’s training is: “Fintech And Mobile Money In Africa.”

Majola said that the company started the programme in response to South Africa’s governance initiative for its indigenous corporates to support media development.

She noted that the training is organised yearly for public good and to improve the skills of journalists, while Sanlam expects nothing in return from the beneficiaries, except that they should become more valuable.

“I hope that the participants finds this programme valuable, because the aim is to develop the capacities of journalists across Africa to contribute truthful, sensitive and value information that helps people’s lives.

“Sanlam has put in lots of effort to sustain the investment and have also seen value for it over the years,” she said.

Majola commended Sanlam subsidiaries across the African nation such as : Nigeria, Namibian, Rwanda, Botswana, Ghana, Uganda and Kenya, among others for supporting the programme, by making it accessible to young journalists in the financial services sector.

In his keynote address, Mr Karl Socikwa, Group Executive, Market Development And Sustainability of Sanlam said that the 2023 Summer School is a milestone for the programme which had been organised for 20 years.

Socikwa stated that the summer school had contributed meaningfully to media houses across Africa, promoted excellence in journalism and media development in Africa.

He explained that the financial sector is so critical to economic development, hence Sanlam is committed to advancing financial journalism in Africa for effective and professional coverage of the sector.

According to him, the theme of the 2023 is apt, as fintech and mobile money had revolutionised financial services in Africa and contributed significantly to financial inclusion and economic development.

The group executive noted that Sanlam is committed to shaping the future of fintech in Africa to make it more accessible, secured and beneficial to its people.

“Sanlam has recently launched a fintech platform to demonstrate its commitment to the fintech space for economic development and financial inclusion.

” Your work as journalists is to cover the sector and provide reports that give access to financial services and inclusion that can change people’s lives ,” he said.

Socikwa wished the participants a successful training and charged them to take advantage of the opportunity and renowned facilitators at their disposal to improve their capacities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 22 journalists selected from different Africa countries are participating in the 2023 Sanlam Summer School which will run from Oct. 22 to Oct. 27 in South Africa.

The beneficiaries of the training are young journalists covering various financial sectors of their country and not more than 35 years old.

Among the expected facilitators and speakers are : Mr Chris Kabwato, Convener, Sanlam Summer School, Ms Paula Fray, Lead Trainer, Fray College, Mr Segun Aina,President Africa Fintech Network and Mr Tsakani Maluleke, Auditor-General of South Africa.

Sanlam Group is a Pan-African brand, founded in 1918 as a life insurance company, with its headquarters in South Africa.

The brand has grown to become Africa’s largest non-banking financial services group, with a strong presence in 33 countries on the African continent, including Nigeria.

The group operates in eight out of the 10 largest economies in Africa, with over 154,000 employees globally and has a niche presence in India, Malaysia, United Kingdom and Australia.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng

Source: News Agency of Nigeria