MDIF is pleased to announce that Nolwazi Tutsini has been appointed Program Director for Southern Africa and Deji Adekunle has been appointed Program Director for West and East Africa.
Nolwazi steps up from her position as Program Director for Amplify South Africa, where she has built trusted relationships with partners and supported their efforts to grow in challenging market conditions. In the expanded Program Director role, she will also oversee MDIF’s work across Southern Africa, including in Angola, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
For the past three and a half years, Deji has led MDIF’s Nigeria Media Innovation Program (NAMIP), where he was instrumental in deepening relationships with local media and building a respected presence in the country. His new responsibilities cover all countries between North Africa and Southern Africa, where he will guide media partners through the evolving pressures of business and technology, with a focus on pipeline development and long-term viability.
The appointment of Deji and Nolwazi reflects MDIF’s strategic restructuring of its regional operations. Splitting continents into sub-regions allows us to service clients and build pipeline with more localized, contextual understanding and agility. The restructuring in Africa mirrors the approach already taken in Asia and Europe where sub-regional specialists oversee operations.
Together, Deji and Nolwazi will be responsible for managing current and future clients in their regions, driving new investment opportunities, and leading Amplify programs that deliver strategic support to independent media.
With this restructuring, the former Program Director for Africa and MENA position is being retired. We would like to thank Sebenzile Nkambule for her important contributions to MDIF’s work in the region.
Under the reorganization, Chief Program Officer Bilal Randeree takes on responsibility for MDIF activities in North Africa and the Middle East.