University of Media, Arts and Communication

What University of Media, Arts and Communication does

The University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC) is a public university in Ghana established in 2020 through Act of Parliament 1059. It was created through the merger of three pre-existing institutions: the Ghana Institute of Journalism (founded 1959), the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI, founded 1978), and the Ghana Institute of Languages (founded 1961). UniMAC is the first public university in Ghana established by an Act of Parliament, operating from campuses in South Legon and East Legon in Accra through three constituent institutes focused on journalism, film and television, and languages. The institution consolidates multi-decade heritage brands in Ghanaian media and language education under a single statutory university framework.

UniMAC serves students through academic programmes in media, arts, and communication, including a PhD in Media and Communication launched in 2024-2025 in partnership with Virginia Tech and Nelson Mandela University. Its technology infrastructure centres on conventional academic systems — a Learning Management System (LMS), Student Information System (SIS), Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC), digital repository, and BookCloud — integrated with third-party academic tools (Turnitin, Research4Life, Mendeley, MyLOFT) and communication platforms (Microsoft Teams, Zoom). Payment processing is enabled through MTN MoMo and Ropay. The institution has 67 employees and is led by Vice-Chancellor Prof Eric Opoku Mensah (since 2024), with Ernest Ofori Sarpong set to take office as the university's first Chancellor in August 2026.

The university's business model combines tuition from enrolled students, application fees (GH₵300 Ghanaian / US$150 international), short-course fees, transcript services, and donations, supplemented by government subvention as a public institution. Corporate partnerships with Global Media Alliance, Telecel Ghana, AWEC, and MTN MoMo extend its footprint into industry-facing programming and fintech-enabled tuition collection. International academic partnerships with Virginia Tech, Nelson Mandela University, UIUC, and Fourah Bay College support cross-border academic collaboration, though direct revenue contribution from these partnerships is not disclosed.

Name

University of Media, Arts and Communication

Legal name

University of Media, Arts and Communication

Website

https://unimac.edu.gh

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC) is a Ghanaian public university formed in 2020 by Act of Parliament through the merger of three institutes, delivering higher education in journalism, film and television, and languages to Ghanaian and international students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

General ESL/EFL Coursebooks & Integrated Skills Series (EDAGAHAA), Online-to-Offline Hybrid Language Immersion Programs (EDAIAEAK)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Media arts programs
• Journalism education
• Film television training
• Communication degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Accra

HQ country

Ghana

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and postgraduate programme tuition, academic fees, and related charges for the 2026-2027 academic year
2. Application Fees: Processing fees from applicants - GH¢300.00 for Ghanaian applicants and USD$150.00 for international applicants applying to PhD programmes
3. Short Course Fees: Revenue from short course offerings providing specialized training in media, arts, and communication
4. Transcript and Administrative Services: Fees for administrative services including transcript requests and other student documentation services
5. Donations and Fundraising: Campaign for UniMAC - the largest fundraising campaign in history - supporting research, training and community service initiatives

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

UniMAC is a public university in Ghana that delivers specialized higher-education programmes in media, journalism, film and television, languages, and communication. Instruction is delivered through three constituent institutes — the Institute of Journalism (IJ), Institute of Film and Television (IFT), and Institute of Languages (IL) — across undergraduate, postgraduate, short-course, and doctoral levels, supported by a Learning Management System, Students' Information System, digital library, and blended-learning infrastructure.

Product overview

UniMAC operates as a holding university with three constituent institutes (Institute of Film and Television, Institute of Journalism, Institute of Languages) offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes in media, arts, and communication. The institution provides digital infrastructure including the UniMAC Library (with OPAC, institutional repository, and BookCloud), Students' Information System, E-learning Portal (LMS), and Online Application System. Specialised research centres include the Centre for Gender and Communication Research (CGCR) and School of Journalism and Media Studies (SOJAMS). Radio GIJ provides broadcast training capabilities. Academic delivery incorporates blended learning with Microsoft Teams integration and partnerships with Virginia Tech University and Nelson Mandela University for doctoral programmes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Academic Programmes Undergraduate bachelor's degree programmes offered by the three constituent institutes, targeting prospective students in Ghana and internationally seeking specialized media, arts and communication education.
• Postgraduate Academic Programmes Postgraduate master's-level programmes including MA, MSc, MPhil, and MFA degrees in communication-related fields, designed for graduates seeking advanced academic credentials and research capabilities.
• PhD in Media and Communication Doctoral programme in Media and Communication delivered in blended mode with virtual and in-person lectures by scholars from Virginia Tech University and Nelson Mandela University, with specializations across media, journalism, political communication, public relations, marketing, advertising, development communication, and theatre studies.
• Short Courses Professional development and skills training courses in media, arts and communication disciplines (e.g., digital marketing, social selling, media production) targeting working professionals and lifelong learners.
• Transcript Request Service Administrative service allowing current and former students to request official academic transcripts and related student documentation.
• Radio GIJ Internet radio streaming service operated by the Institute of Journalism, providing broadcast content and student practical training experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2026 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association National Debate Competition Winners
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global Media Alliance (GMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 July 2026UniMAC's Public Relations Department under the Faculty of Business and Strategic Communication partnered with Global Media Alliance (GMA) to commemorate World Public Relations Day 2026. The partnership organized 'The PR Dialogue' festival at Silverbird Cinemas, Accra, bringing together industry practitioners, corporate executives, policymakers, and students to discuss the future of strategic communication. GMA's Chief Director Emma Wenani delivered welcome address.
• Telecel GhanacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 July 2026Telecel Ghana sponsored the 'Telecel Student PR Pitch Challenge' at the World PR Day Festival 2026. Student teams developed crisis communications and brand-repositioning strategies for real telecom challenges. Winning team received GHS 5,000 cash prize plus corporate internship opportunities. Telecel's Mr. Komla Buami (Director of External Affairs) addressed the event on AI in communication.
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2026UniMAC students participated in a nine-day collaborative journalism and advertising project in partnership with UIUC. The project documented the lived experiences of kayayei (female head porters) in Accra's Kantamanto Market, producing documentary film, radio stories, virtual reality content, and other media. This forms part of the Illinois Partnership for African Women's Health Narratives (IPAWHN).
• Fourah Bay College (FBC), University of Sierra LeonecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2026Three-way international partnership with UIUC and FBC for collaborative journalism project documenting kayayei stories in Accra. The initiative involved students and faculty from all three institutions working together on the nine-day project producing multi-format media content.
• African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniMAC's Centre for Gender and Communication Research (CGCR) partnered with AWEC to deliver a Social Selling and Digital Marketing Workshop. AWEC founder Yaa Osei Agyapong, a certified trainer, conducted the hands-on workshop equipping students with practical enterprise skills. The partnership supports CGCR's mission of bridging academic learning with real-world business capabilities.
• MTN MoMominorGTM or Marketing PartnerMTN MoMo participated in the CGCR-AWEC workshop, with Mr. Faizah Ali (Regional Channel Manager) discussing secured payment platforms for digital marketing. Merchant SIM cards were activated for interested student business owners during the training session.
• Virginia Tech University, USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partner for PhD in Media and Communication programme delivery. PhD programme delivered in blended mode with virtual and in-person lectures by seasoned scholars from Virginia Tech with international repute.
• Nelson Mandela University, South AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partner for PhD in Media and Communication programme delivery. PhD programme delivered in blended mode with virtual and in-person lectures by scholars from Nelson Mandela University with international repute.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ashesi University: Leading private, non-profit liberal arts and sciences university in Berekuso, Ghana. Direct peer competing for top Ghanaian students and faculty talent, particularly in humanities and communication-related fields.
• University of Ghana: Ghana's flagship public university located in Accra, offering a comprehensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Directly comparable as a public Ghanaian university competing for the same domestic student pool and government funding envelope.
• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology: Major public research university in Kumasi, Ghana, offering science, technology, and humanities programmes. A direct peer for UniMAC in terms of Ghanaian public university scale, governance structure, and competing for the same prospective students.
• Ghana Communication Technology University: Specialized public university in Accra focused on communication technology and ICT education. The closest direct peer to UniMAC in terms of being a Ghanaian specialized public university with overlapping communication and media-adjacent programmes.
• University of Cape Coast: Public university in Cape Coast, Ghana, with established programmes in education, humanities, and communication-related disciplines. Direct peer for UniMAC as a Ghanaian public university offering overlapping media and communication programmes.

Regional players

• University of Johannesburg: Large South African public university with a Department of Communication and Media Studies offering journalism, film, and media production programmes. Regional peer for scale and breadth of media higher-education offerings.
• University of the Western Cape: South African public university with a strong Faculty of Arts and Humanities including a Department of Communication Studies. Regional peer for media and communication research and degree programmes across the African continent.
• Pan-Atlantic University: Private Nigerian university in Lagos with a School of Media and Communication offering specialised degrees in journalism, advertising, and broadcasting. Regional peer offering comparable media-focused higher education in West Africa.
• Daystar University: Private Christian university in Kenya with a renowned School of Communication offering degrees in journalism, mass communication, and film. Regional peer for UniMAC's Institute of Journalism and Institute of Film and Television.

Emerging players

• African Leadership University: Pan-African private university with campuses in Mauritius and Rwanda offering interdisciplinary programmes. Emerging peer targeting the same pool of high-potential African students seeking internationally-oriented higher education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubezeno.fm/radio/radiogij
• Facebookfacebook.com/GIJOfficial2019
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-media-arts-and-communication
• Instagraminstagram.com/gijofficial_?igsh=MXZjeG93bGx6cnp3bw==

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Media, Arts and Communication