Post-COVID-19 has birthed a profound digital era that is transforming journalism education across the continent of Africa, presenting both new realities and contradictions. Digital tools and online learning platforms have expanded access to journalism professional training, as major challenges persist, which include infrastructural deficits, gaps in digital literacy and socio-economic inequalities. This paper critically examines the evolving pedagogy of African journalism education by exploring the contentions between traditional and digital teaching techniques, effective industry-based curricula and the role of the media industry in bridging the skill gaps. Adopting the contextual research method, which is based on the author’s observation and experience of the media institutions (both in higher and industry workings), the study highlights how journalism educators navigate these contradictions while balancing innovation with practical challenges. The findings underscore the need for a contextualised, inclusive, and practice-oriented approach to journalism education that aligns with the realities of Africa’s media landscape. This research contributes to ongoing discussions on decolonising African journalism curricula and fostering resilience in media training against the Global South.