The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) is pleased to announce the call for entries for the 21st edition of the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (WSAIR). This edition, opening on Sunday, 4 October 2026, celebrates over two decades of honouring the courageous efforts of investigative journalists and rewarding best practices in the Nigerian media.
Professional reporters or teams of reporters—full-time or freelance—with published stories targeted at the Nigerian audience are invited to submit entries on or before 4:00 p.m. Saturday, 24 October 2026. Detailed award criteria and the application process are available through award.wscij.org. 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.
Entries will be assessed first by a screening committee to ensure the investigative appropriateness of the entries and then by an independent panel of judges, using WSCIJ’s award coding system (introduced in 2012) to ensure fairness and confidentiality. Judges will evaluate entries 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.
In 2025, WSCIJ received 180 entries, of which 129 met the eligibility criteria (32 from print media, 64 from online media, 19 from broadcast media (television 11, radio 8), eight photo news, and six editorial cartoons. From these, 15 journalists emerged as finalists. To date, the award has produced 144 finalists, 71 Soyinka Laureates, and 13 Investigative Journalists of the Year recipients. Additionally, 33 honorary awards have been conferred under the Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence and the Anti-Corruption/Human Rights Defender Awards.
WSCIJ will hold the 21st award presentation ceremony in Lagos on Wednesday, 9 December 2026.
Signed
Motunrayo Alaka
Executive Director/CEO
Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ)
