Nominations Open for 21st Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (Nigeria)

The Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (21st edition) is an opportunity for Nigerian professional reporters and reporter teams to submit evidence-based investigative work on corruption, human rights violations, and regulatory failures. Offered by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), the award recognizes high-quality, ethical investigative reporting published or broadcast in Nigeria between 4 October 2025 and 3 October 2026. The deadline for submitting entries is 4:00pm Saturday, 24 October 2026. Opportunity at a Glance

- Opportunity name: 21st Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting

- Provider: Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ)

- Opportunity type: Journalism award / entry submission

- Eligible applicants: Nigerian professional reporters (individuals) and teams of reporters (full-time or freelancers), 18 years and above

- Eligible content/publication window: Work first published or broadcast in Nigerian media between 4 October 2025 and 3 October 2026

- Maximum entries per applicant: Up to two entries total

- Categories: Print, Radio, Television, Photography, Online, Editorial cartoon

- Language requirement: English language (with transcript required if the entry is in a Nigerian language)

- Submission deadline: 4:00pm, Saturday 24 October 2026 (time zone: Not specified in the source)

- Submission method: Online application portal (link provided on the official site; see “How to Apply”)

About the Opportunity

This award is designed to recognize and promote investigative reporting that is grounded in evidence and demonstrates ethical responsibility, courage, individual creativity, and public benefit. The judging criteria emphasize work that can expose or help prevent clandestine activities, corruption in the public domain, human rights violations, and failures of regulatory agencies. The competition is assessed by a judges’ board with experience in news media practice, investigative reporting, and ethics. Entries are coded to conceal media houses and reporters’ by-lines before they reach the judges. Funding and Benefits The provided page focuses on entry criteria, categories, eligibility, and submission requirements. Any monetary value, award structure (e.g., winners/runners-up/commended works), or specific prize amounts are not included in the supplied text. Who Is Eligible?

The award is open to:

- Any Nigerian professional reporter, or a team of reporters (full-time or freelancers) - Applicants must be 18 years and above - The submitted work must be primarily targeted at and received by a Nigerian audience - The work must be evidence-based and investigative, addressing at least one of the following: - Public and/or corporate corruption - Human rights violation - Failure of regulatory agencies Important eligibility limits and exclusions (stated on the page): - An applicant may submit a maximum of two entries across categories. - Reporters who have been winners in this competition on three occasions are ineligible to enter. - Employees of WSCIJ and/or their immediate families are ineligible. - Only reporters shortlisted as finalists will be contacted and announced after selection by the Judges’ Board. - WSCIJ reserves the right to withdraw awards at any point in time based on misconduct of an award recipient. Eligible Activities or Priority Areas Entries must involve evidence-based investigative reporting on: - Public and/or corporate corruption - Human rights violations - Failure of regulatory agencies The competition also assesses quality elements, including: - Newsworthiness - Ability to expose or prevent clandestine activities - Understanding of human rights implications through the quality of presentation - Overall ethical and professional standards Why This Opportunity Matters Investigative reporting plays a critical role in exposing wrongdoing and strengthening accountability. This award specifically targets Nigerian-focused work that investigates corruption, human rights abuses, or regulatory failures, and it requires proof-based journalism that can demonstrate impact and responsibility in how issues are presented. If your work meets the specified publication window and category requirements, this platform provides an opportunity for recognition by a specialized board of judges in investigative reporting and media ethics. How to Apply - Confirm your entry is within the required publication/broadcast window - First published or broadcast in Nigerian media between 4 October 2025 and 3 October 2026. - Choose the correct category (from the list below) - Print, Radio, Television, Photography, Online, or Editorial cartoon. - Submit through the online application portal - The page instructs applicants to submit applications through the portal: “Please submit your applications through the application online portal here.” - Official portal link text is present, but the actual URL is not included in the supplied source text. Use the “here” link on the official page. - Prepare the required submission content (as applicable to your category) Your submitted entries should include, at minimum: - Brief synopsis of the story/series (maximum 400 words) - A picture or portfolio (as required for your submission) - Curriculum Vitae for every reporter who bears the by-line of the story, including passport photograph(s) - Relevant background information on submitted work(s) - Ensure category-specific evidence and formats are followed

Examples from the page include:

- Print (Newspaper and magazine): Upload a clean and clear original print copy in PDF via the portal; e-paper pages where available; URL not acceptable for this category.

- Online: Provide URL (weblink) for the published work (or web-based radio/TV links).

- Radio/Television: Provide organisation weblink where available, otherwise upload to SoundCloud (radio) or YouTube (television) and provide the weblink; include “cue in” and “cue out” linked to the person making the main pres