Four Journalists of The Fourth Estate Shortlisted for 2025 CJID Excellence in Journalism Awards

Four journalists from The Fourth Estate have been shortlisted as finalists for the 2025 CJID Excellence in Journalism Awards. The announcement by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) places the journalists among 13 finalists drawn from 275 entries submitted from across West Africa.

The Fourth Estate journalists shortlisted are the Manager of the Independent Journalism Project at the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Kwaku Krobea Asante; Investigative Reporter, Philip Teye Agbove; former Investigative Reporter with The Fourth Estate, Evans Aziamor-Mensah; and freelance journalist with the publication, Justice Baidoo.

In a statement, CJID described the shortlisted journalists as individuals whose work demonstrates innovation, professionalism, and measurable societal impact.

According to the statement, the awards aim to celebrate journalists whose reporting has contributed significantly to democracy, development, and public accountability across the region.

The Fourth Estate received the nominations through an email from Kemi Busari, the Chair of the CJID Award Committee, who congratulated the team for their achievement.

“We are delighted to inform you that you have been selected as finalists for the CJID Excellence in Journalism Award 2025. This recognition highlights your outstanding contribution to journalism and your role in advancing development and democracy in Africa,” Busari wrote.

The finalists will be celebrated at an award ceremony scheduled to take place on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, as part of CJID’s annual Media and Development Conference.

“An award ceremony has been scheduled to celebrate you and other finalists on Wednesday, 26th November 2025, at the Abuja Continental Hotel. During the event, the winner and runner-up in each category will be announced,” the email added.

The CJID awards, now in its second edition, recognise excellence in categories such as climate change reporting, fact-checking, health reporting, community reporting, and social accountability, among others.

According to CJID, this year’s finalists were selected through a competitive and rigorous review process conducted by an independent panel of distinguished media professionals from across the continent.

Other finalists include Sodeeq Atanda of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Hauwa Shaffii Nuhu of HumAngle Media, Taiwo Adebulu of The Cable, and Abdulwaheed Sofiullahi of HumAngle Media.

The rest are Sodiq Ojuroungbe of Punch, Muslim Muhammad Yusuf of Daily Trust, Alfred Ajayi of Radio Nigeria, Mahdi Garba of Nigeria Health Watch, and Ifeyinwa Susan Francis of the Centre for Storytelling and Development Initiative. CJID indicated that finalists for the Editor of the Year Award, a new category debuting in this year’s competition, will be released later.