Journalist, BBC Igbo Service at BBC

• BBC World Service is evolving its editorial team in Lagos while future-proofing its journalism to meet changing media consumption habits across sub-Saharan Africa.
• BBC News Igbo is one of the most trusted international news providers for audiences across West Africa and a highly engaged global diaspora.
• With a strong editorial heritage, the service is entering an exciting new phase: transforming into a video-led operation designed to reach a new generation of Igbo audiences who primarily consume news via smartphones and social media.
• BBC News Igbo is changing into a story-led model built around two complementary editorial streams: On the Day and On Demand.

Why Join The Team?

• The Journalist is the core production resource of both streams. Whether working a morning, afternoon or night shift within On the Day, or contributing to planned video and podcast production within On Demand, the Journalist is expected to move fluently between platforms, formats and roles (such as writing a web article, filming a clip, voicing a radio package and publishing a social post), often on the same story, within the same shift.
• This transformation demands journalists who are not simply willing to work across platforms, but who think across platforms instinctively.
• That means asking, before production begins, how a story will serve audiences on the website, on Instagram, on TikTok and on radio or TV, and making deliberate choices about format, length and angle for each.

Responsibilities

• Create and publish accurate, engaging and SEO-friendly news content for the BBC Igbo website, ensuring timely updates and high editorial standards.
• Produce, present, shoot and edit short-form video content for platforms including TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, using strong storytelling and visual production skills.
• Develop compelling social media content that drives audience engagement, expands reach and supports content discovery across digital platforms.
• Respond quickly to breaking news, maintaining a consistent flow of content across the website and social channels throughout the day.
• Use audience analytics and performance insights to inform content decisions and continuously improve digital output.
• Contribute to BBC Igbo’s visualised radio programming, presenting confidently on air and on screen for both broadcast and streaming audiences.
• Repurpose live radio and interview content into engaging digital clips, maximising audience reach across social media and the BBC Igbo website.

Requirements

• Proven experience creating engaging content across digital, social, radio and video platforms, with a strong understanding of audience needs and platform best practice.
• Excellent writing, reading, editing and storytelling skills in Igbo, with the ability to produce accurate, engaging and SEO-aware content to tight deadlines.
• Strong video production skills, including presenting, self-shooting and editing content for platforms such as YouTube, TikTok,
• Instagram Reels and Facebook – added advantage.
• Confident using audience analytics, headlines, thumbnails and metadata to optimise content performance, discoverability and engagement.
• Experience sourcing, verifying and reporting news accurately and impartially, including handling breaking news and user-generated content.
• Strong broadcast skills, including radio production, interviewing and presenting for live, on-demand and visualised programme formats.
• Fluent in Igbo and English, with a good understanding of the political, social and cultural landscape of Nigeria and wider West Africa, and the needs of Igbo-speaking audiences.