Three Nigerian journalists, out of 19 others from five African countries, emerged as finalists in the Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) award for indepth news writing on issue-based development stories.
Acting Executive Director, AMDF, Sekyen Dadik ,disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
Dadik said Judges for the 2022 AMDF Journalists of the Year Award, led by Mr. Joseph Edegbo, Managing Editor of Africa Prime News, said they received entries from Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia.
He said the finalists are Alexander Okere of the Punch Newspapers, Janet Ogundepo, also of the Punch Newspapers, and Sunday Isuwa Leadership Newspaper.
” The finalists have demonstrated professional skills in their stories by going deep in writing issue-based development stories.”
He also said an Honorary Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence will be presented to distinguished media veteran, Yunusa Aliyu of the Newage Network Limited, Kaduna, for his contribution in promoting development journalism in Nigeria.
The AMDF Journalist of the Year Award was first introduced in 2016 to promote the culture of in-depth development journalism in the African media space.
The emergent winner would be announced during the 2022 Africa Conference on Development Journalism (ACDJ2022) holding online on Dec. 7.
The annual conference brings journalists and other media stakeholders together to exchange ideas that will address current and emerging issues facing development journalism.
It is also meant to create a community of learning that will support the growth of Development Journalism in Africa.