For twenty days, between October 4 and October 24, journalists who have done outstanding investigative reporting have the opportunity to submit entries for the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting.
Since 2005, some of the brightest minds in Nigerian journalism have been honoured for their ground-breaking reports that exposed corruption, abuse, neglect and all kinds of misconduct in public and private sectors.
They have received these recognitions after a panel made up of professors in media studies, outstanding media professionals and veteran journalist deem their works remarkable having passed criteria that emphasise rigour.
In a statement, Motunrayo Alaka, Executive Director/CEO of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Reporting (WSCIJ), said the award is open to professional reporters or teams of reporters, whether full-time or freelance, whose works have been published or broadcast for a Nigerian audience.
“This landmark edition celebrates two decades of honouring the courageous efforts of investigative journalists and rewarding best practices in the Nigerian media.
“Since its inception in 2005, the award has recognised outstanding journalists whose work prevents or exposes corruption, highlights human rights violations, and uncovers regulatory failures in Nigeria. Eligible categories include print, online, photo, editorial cartoon, television, and radio,” the statement read.
Entries, the centre said, will be evaluated by an independent panel of judges using its award coding system introduced in 2012 “to ensure fairness and confidentiality”.
“Judges will evaluate based on investigative depth, evidence, human rights focus, ethical standards, courage, creativity, public interest, impact, and presentation. Applicants are encouraged to review category-specific criteria before submission,” the statement adds.
“In 2024, WSCIJ received 219 entries, of which 113 met the eligibility criteria (18 from print media, 66 from online media, 94 from broadcast media (TV 87, radio 7), 10 photo news, and 4 editorial cartoons. From these, 15 journalists emerged as finalists.”
This year’s edition marks the 20th anniversary of the coveted award.
When the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism launched its award in October 2005, it sought to raise the bar for truth-telling in Nigeria. The idea was simple but bold: to honour journalists who confront corruption, abuse of power and injustice through fact-driven, courageous reporting. Twenty years later, the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting has grown into an institution that not only celebrates excellence but also shapes the standards of investigative journalism in the country.
Award for journalistic integrity/criteria
From the start, the award set itself apart with clear criteria and a transparent judging process. It was open to professional journalists working in print, radio, television, photojournalism, online platforms and editorial cartooning. Over time, new categories were added to reflect critical and emerging issues such as climate change, gender-based reporting and local governance. Every entry is evaluated on investigative depth, quality of evidence, creativity, ethics, courage and public impact. This process is guided by a formal coding system that has been in place since 2012, ensuring consistency and fairness. The organisers have always made it clear that the award is not about popularity or prestige; it is about journalistic integrity and societal impact.
Past winners
The record of winners over the first twenty years reads like a chronicle of Nigeria’s most significant investigative moments. In the early years, the award recognised journalists who exposed forced demolitions, failing hospitals, fraudulent contracts and neglected schools. The names of Deji Bademosi, Emmanuel Mayah, Nicholas Ibekwe, Seun Akioye, Olatunji Ololade, Kunle Akinrinade, Adekunle Yusuf and others became familiar to Nigerians who followed serious journalism. Their work forced government responses and, in some cases, policy changes.
Mayah won the print category of the maiden edition with his story ‘Lagos: Inside Nigeria’s Industrial concentration camps’. Bademosi won in 2008 in the TV category with his report titled ‘In the name of the Police’.
Akioye won the print category in 2012 with his story ‘ Behold! Village where kids are born to be househelps’ published in the Nigerian Compass. Adekunle Yusuf won the print category in 2015 with his report ‘How Corruption, Leadership Hamper NDLEA’s Drug War’. He repeated the feat in 2017 with his report ‘Exposed: How Corruption, Favouritism Thrive In Unilorin’.
In 2018, Mojeed Alabi of New Telegraph won for his investigation that uncovered a multibillion-naira contract scandal involving a top government official. That same year, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz of Premium Times earned recognition for the exposé that led to the resignation of a sitting minister. In 2020, Damilola Banjo of Sahara Reporters won the overall prize for stories that combined courage and meticulous reporting. Bukola Samuel-Wemimo of TVC and Samson Folarin of The Punch were also honoured for broadcast and print investigations.
The 2023 edition celebrated Lami Sadiq of Daily Trust, whose investigation revealed an illegal organ-harvesting ring in Abuja. Sharon Ijasan of TVC News won in the television category for her work on human trafficking, while Kemi Busari of Premium Times emerged in the online category for his public-interest reporting. In 2024, Jemilat Nasiru and Mansur Ibrahim of TheCable took home the online award for a detailed report on the dangers of e-waste. Lami Sadiq, who had become one of the most consistent voices in investigative reporting, won again for her powerful piece on the organ trade in Nigeria’s capital. Each of these stories captured both the spirit and the ambition of the Wole Soyinka Award: to make journalism a tool for accountability.
The credibility question and calibre of judges
The credibility of the award has always rested on the calibre of the people entrusted to judge it. Over the years, the panel has drawn from a rich pool of talent across journalism, law, academia, literature, and human rights, ensuring that every decision reflects both excellence and integrity. Odia Ofeimun, the poet and public intellectual, brought early panels a rare combination of moral clarity and sharp critical insight, his work in literature and political discourse giving him a lens through which to evaluate submissions with both artistry and conscience. Ayo Obe, the human rights lawyer and former president of Nigeria’s Civil Liberties Organisation, ensured that every decision was grounded in ethical and legal rigor, while Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate and indefatigable defender of civil liberties, lent the panel his deep knowledge of constitutional matters and the courage of principle.
Bimbo Oloyede, a pioneering broadcaster and the first female newscaster on the Nigerian Television Authority, brought decades of newsroom precision and an unwavering eye for storytelling. Chidi Odinkalu, scholar and human rights activist, added perspectives shaped by governance, accountability, and the pursuit of justice. Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, a seasoned academic and authority on media ethics, anchored deliberations with a commitment to methodological rigor, while Professor Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, a trailblazing professor of journalism, guided the panel with a focus on transparency, evidence, and fairness.
Until his passing, Professor Lai Oso of Lagos State University played a pivotal role in sustaining the panel’s high standards. A respected communication scholar and former journalist, he combined deep professional experience with academic insight, ensuring that every decision reflected both intellectual depth and practical understanding. Together, these judges, with their diverse expertise and unwavering commitment to excellence, have made the award not just a recognition of talent, but a standard-bearer for integrity and credibility in Nigerian journalism.
What makes the award special?
What makes the Wole Soyinka Award special is that it does more than hand out trophies. It nurtures a community of professionals who see investigative journalism as a public duty. The Wole Soyinka Centre tracks the real-world impact of winning stories and records cases where government agencies act after exposure. Many of the laureates have gone on to lead investigative units in their newsrooms, found independent media platforms, or mentor young reporters. The Centre also invests in capacity-building by offering winners training, international fellowships and networking opportunities. The goal is to ensure that investigative excellence does not end on award night but continues to shape the media landscape.
Lasting influence
Several factors explain the award’s lasting influence. First is its consistency. Since 2005, it has been held every year without interruption, creating an unbroken tradition that has helped sustain public trust. Second is the rigour. The transparent judging process, supported by detailed scoring criteria, ensures that only work of real substance is rewarded. Third, its emphasis on impact. The award values stories that not only uncover wrongdoing but also lead to change. Finally, its commitment to mentorship. By building the skills of reporters, the Centre strengthens the profession itself.
The impact of the award is not only seen in the journalists it celebrates but also in the broader media culture it has helped to build. Editors now take investigative work more seriously. Audiences have become more discerning. And public officials know that there are reporters who will dig, verify and publish, no matter the obstacles. In two decades, the award has become both a symbol and a standard — a marker of what good journalism looks like in a democracy that still struggles with transparency.
As the award marks its twentieth year in 2025, it faces a changing media landscape. The pressures on journalism are intense, with shrinking newsroom budgets, digital disruption and threats to press freedom. Yet, the award’s continuing presence serves as a reminder that good journalism remains indispensable to national development. It honours not just individual excellence but collective responsibility, the belief that truth-telling is both an act of courage and a civic duty.
The Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting has become more than an annual ceremony. It is a living record of how journalism can serve the public good. It has created a generation of reporters who see their work as a fight for justice, accountability and the preservation of truth. Its story is one of resilience and renewal, a testament to how one idea, nurtured with integrity, can transform a profession and, in its own way, a nation.
