About this opportunity
Investigative reporting is expensive, slow and often thankless work. The Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting exists to make sure the best of it in Nigeria gets seen, named and celebrated by people who understand what it took. Now in its 21st edition, the award is run by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, and it is open to professional Nigerian reporters working on their own or in teams.
This edition recognises work published or broadcast in Nigerian media between 4 October 2025 and 3 October 2026 that exposes public or corporate corruption, human rights violations, or the failure of a regulatory agency. There are six categories: Print, Radio, Television, Photography, Online and Editorial cartoon. Each one has its own evidence rules, so a print entry must arrive as a clean scanned PDF of the original copy rather than a link, while an online entry is judged through its weblink.
What makes the process worth trusting is how seriously it is guarded. Entries are coded so the judges cannot see the media house or the by line before they read. Every submission goes through a plagiarism test, and anything that fails it is disqualified. The judges board is made up of people with real practice in news media, investigative reporting and ethics.
You may enter up to two works in total across all categories. The work must be in English, or in a Nigerian language with an English transcript attached, and it must have been aimed primarily at a Nigerian audience. If you are a freelancer, you are welcome. If you have already won this competition three times, you are not, because the Centre wants room for new voices.
What you receive
- Recognition of your investigative work by a judges board drawn from news media practice, investigative reporting and ethics
- Six categories to enter: Print, Radio, Television, Photography, Online and Editorial cartoon
- A coded entry system that hides your media house and by line from judges before assessment
- Announcement as a Soyinka Laureate, runner up or commended work if the judges select you
- Standing within a national conversation on corruption, human rights and regulatory accountability
Who can apply
- Nigerian professional reporters, individuals or teams of reporters, full time or freelance
- Applicants must be 18 years and above
- The work must have been first published or broadcast in Nigerian media between 4 October 2025 and 3 October 2026
- The work must be primarily targeted at and received by a Nigerian audience
- The work must be evidence based investigative reporting on public or corporate corruption, human rights violation, or failure of regulatory agencies
- Entries must be in English, or in a Nigerian language with an English language transcript
- A maximum of two entries per applicant across all categories
Who should not apply
- Reporters who have won this competition on three occasions are ineligible to enter
- Employees of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, and their immediate families, are ineligible
- A weblink is not acceptable as the entry evidence for the Print category, which requires a scanned PDF of the original print copy
- Entries that fail the plagiarism test are disqualified
- Judges may disqualify an entry or a finalist where there is reasonable doubt about authenticity, accuracy or integrity
- The Centre reserves the right to withdraw an award at any point based on the misconduct of a recipient
Documents to prepare
- A brief synopsis of the story or series, maximum 400 words
- A picture or portfolio, as required for your category
- Curriculum vitae for every reporter who bears the by line, each with a passport photograph
- Relevant background information on the submitted work
- Print category: a clean, clear original print copy uploaded as PDF, plus e paper pages where available
- Online category: the published weblink for the work, or the web based radio or television link
- Radio and Television category: the organisation weblink where available, otherwise the upload to SoundCloud for radio or YouTube for television, with cue in and cue out linked to the person making the main presentation, plus proof of the date and time of publication from that day's bulletin
- Photography and Editorial cartoon: the original photo or cartoon, scanned full page PDF evidence for print publications, the weblink for online publications, and e copy pages where available
- An English language transcript if the entry was published or broadcast in a Nigerian language
How to apply
- Confirm your work falls inside the publication window of 4 October 2025 to 3 October 2026
- Choose the category that fits your entry: Print, Radio, Television, Photography, Online or Editorial cartoon
- Read the category evidence rules on the entry criteria page at https://award.wscij.org/entry-criteria/ before you start assembling files
- Prepare your synopsis of no more than 400 words, your CVs with passport photographs, and the background information on the work
- Submit your entry through the official award entry form at https://award.wscij.org/award-entry-form/
- Complete the submission before 4:00pm on Saturday 24 October 2026
- Write to wscij@wscij.org or call +234-908-251-517 if you need clarification on a category requirement
Selection process
- Entries are received through the online award entry form by 4:00pm on Saturday 24 October 2026
- Every entry is coded to conceal the media house and the reporter by lines
- All entries undergo a plagiarism test, and entries that fail it are disqualified
- A judges board with experience in news media practice, investigative reporting and ethics assesses the entries
- Judges score on newsworthiness, the ability to expose or prevent clandestine activity, the understanding of human rights implications shown in the presentation, and overall ethical and professional standards
- Only shortlisted finalists are contacted and announced after the judges board selects them
Sources and verification
- Official source , Discovered by the opportunity automation module.
Questions applicants ask
Who can enter the 21st Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting?
Any Nigerian professional reporter working alone, or a team of reporters, whether full time or freelance, provided you are 18 years or above and the work was aimed primarily at a Nigerian audience.
What kind of reporting qualifies?
Evidence based investigative reporting on public or corporate corruption, human rights violations, or the failure of regulatory agencies.
What publication period does the work have to fall inside?
The work must have been first published or broadcast in Nigerian media between 4 October 2025 and 3 October 2026.
How many entries can one person submit?
A maximum of two entries in total, across all categories.
When do entries close?
At 4:00pm on Saturday 24 October 2026. The provider states the time on the award page without naming a time zone.
Can I send a link instead of the print copy?
Not for the Print category. Print entries require a clean, clear original print copy uploaded as PDF, and a weblink is not accepted for that category. Online entries are submitted through their weblink.
How is fairness protected during judging?
Entries are coded so media houses and by lines are hidden from judges, every entry passes a plagiarism test, and judges may disqualify work where there is reasonable doubt about its authenticity, accuracy or integrity.
Important disclaimer
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