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From Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
Two Nigerian journalists and one from Kenya are being honored through the Open the Knowledge Journalism Awards, a story contest presented by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), in partnership with the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that operates Wikipedia.
The winning stories, covering migration, youth sports and maternal health, are being recognized for helping expand knowledge about Africa and highlighting positive change on the continent.
The awards seek to uncover stories about the continent’s diverse experiences, with a specific focus on women and youth, arts, culture, heritage and sports.
“Journalism and Wikipedia need each other,” said ICFJ President Sharon Moshavi.
“Wikipedia’s volunteer editors rely on independent reporting to build a more complete knowledge base, and journalists benefit from the reach that Wikipedia provides.
“These awards recognize that relationship and the African journalists who are making our digital information ecosystems stronger.”
About the winners:
Rakiya Muhammad won first place for an article published in RM Times that documents the decades-long migration pattern of women leaving Ejigbo in southwest Nigeria for Côte D’Ivoire.
Women from Ejigbo, fueled by the promise of economic opportunity, have become a dominant force in Abidjan’s market and drivers of cultural ties between the two countries.
According to Muhammad’s story, up to 80% of Ejigbo’s funding comes from its people in Côte d’Ivoire.
Muhammad is an award-winning freelance journalist from Nigeria with over two decades of experience.
The second place prize went to Abiodun Adewale for a piece on women’s youth cricket in Nigeria.
Published in PUNCH newspaper, the story chronicles how the Junior Female Yellow Greens prepared for and performed at the 2025 international youth cricket world cup.
Sports coverage in Nigeria rarely focuses on cricket but Adewale’s story reframed the sport as a growing presence in the country, looking into its slow but steady growth and its promising future successes.
Angeline Ochieng from Kenya received an honorable mention for her reporting on former traditional midwives in rural Kenya who have ended their practice to advocate for hospital deliveries.
Despite the convenience in proximity of those midwives, their lack of equipment, sanitary conditions and medical training was leading to increased rates of maternal and neonatal deaths, Ochieng reported..
Her story in the Daily Nation of Kenya profiled multiple former midwives whose efforts to convince women to give birth in medical facilities have led to fewer deaths and complications.
Ochieng is a correspondent for Nation Media Group focusing on health, gender and climate reporting.
“Wikipedia is the largest encyclopedia ever assembled, but it is far from complete. Having stories written by Africans about the issues they care about is vital to ensuring the encyclopedia is representative of many experiences and perspectives.
“We celebrate the three journalists who have received the Open the Knowledge Journalism Awards and thank them for making this kind of reporting possible.”
The three articles were chosen from 320 applications from 40 countries across Africa.
A committee made up of African civil society leaders, ICFJ and Wikimedia staff and members of the Wikipedia community made the final selection.
The first and second place winners will receive cash prizes.
