MARK THE DATE — Overcoming Compliance Hurdles: Practical Tools for Media Start-Ups Webinar, 17 September 2025

fraymedia Foundation is hosting the online panel discussion on “Overcoming Compliance Hurdles: Practical Tools for Media Start-Ups”

Online Seminar

Wednesday, 17 September 2025

10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (SAT)

Register here to attend

The online seminar is part of the fraymedia Foundation’s support programme for women media entrepreneurs and early-stage founders across Africa. While many are already creating powerful, impactful content, they often operate informally — without proper business registration, financial systems, tax compliance, or effective record-keeping. These gaps can hold them back from securing funding, building partnerships, establishing credibility, and scaling their ventures sustainably.

This discussion seeks to break down these barriers and equip women entrepreneurs with the tools and confidence to lead and grow their media businesses.

Objectives of the Webinar:

1. Strengthen business foundations

   Equip women media entrepreneurs with practical knowledge on business registration, compliance, and financial management.

2. Enhance credibility and professionalism

   Highlight the importance of formal structures in building trust with funders, partners, and audiences.

3. Support sustainable growth

   Provide tools and strategies that enable participants to move beyond informal operations and scale their ventures sustainably.

4. Improve access to opportunities

   Demonstrate how proper systems and compliance open doors to funding, partnerships, and wider industry recognition.

5. Empower media entrepreneurs

   Create a supportive learning space that acknowledges challenges and provides solutions tailored to African women in media.

Webinar Speakers:

• Nigel Mugamu, Founder and creator, 263Chat. (The value of good record-keeping and financial discipline for long-term sustainability)

• Mbali Nhlengethwa, Accounts, fraycollege. (How to become compliant from a finance and tax perspective)

• Paula Fray, Founder and CEO, fraymedia Foundation. (Why compliance matters for media entrepreneurs)

  
  

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Speaker Bios:

Nigel Mugamu, Founder and creator, 263Chat

Nigel Mugamu is a Zimbabwean media founder and the creator of 263Chat, a pioneering digital platform he launched in 2012 to expand civic dialogue during a time of growing silence and public mistrust. Over the past decade, he has led the platform through multiple growth phases—building a digital-first newsroom and navigating the operational realities of independent media in Zimbabwe.

Nigel currently serves as Operations Manager at the Center for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ), supporting cross-border investigative storytelling across Africa and beyond. He is passionate about media sustainability, financial discipline for start-ups, and amplifying African voices in global media spaces.

Nigel also mentors young media professionals and contributes to regional conversations on building people-centered, resilient media ecosystems.

Mbali Nhlengethwa, Accounts, fraycollege

Mbali Nhlengethwa brings over a decade of accounting experience. Her journey at FrayIntermedia, beginning as a bookkeeper in 2018. She quickly progressed to Manager of Finance & Admin, overseeing the entire Fray group of companies. Mbali's extensive background in accounting firm and internal auditing ensures a diligent, detail-oriented approach to all aspects of financial management,.Mbali is also recognized for her strong numerical acumen.

Paula Fray, Founder and CEO, fraymedia Foundation

Paula Fray is co-founder and CEO of fraymedia Foundation. A veteran South African journalist, editor, and media strategist who serves as a panel member on the Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry (MDPMI) of the South African Competition Commission, which is examining the impact of global digital platforms on South Africa’s media.

She is the founder of fraycollege, a pan-African accredited training institution and frayintermedia, a content creation and communications strategy agency that develops and implements multi-platform development-focused messaging. In 2023, she co-founded the fraymedia Foundation, which champions gender equity and supports women in media across the African continent.