The African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC), hosted by the Wits Centre for Journalism (WCJ), a journalism and media training institution located at the Wits University in Johannesburg, South Africa, and supported by Absa Africa, has opened submissions for the 2026 African Investigative Journalist of the Year (AIJY) Award.
The Award is regarded as Africa’s premier investigative journalism prize and recognizes outstanding investigative reporting that has made a significant impact across the continent.
The award is open to African journalists and teams of journalists working across all media platforms for stories about Africa that were published or broadcast in African media and focus on issues relating to Africa.
Submissions will be evaluated based on the originality of the story, the quality and depth of the investigative work involved, including inventiveness, persistence, and courage, as well as the impact of the reporting in serving the public interest.
Journalists may submit a maximum of two entries, with each entry consisting of no more than five stories. Applicants are required to submit an electronic copy of the published or broadcast work, a 100-word biography, a high-resolution photograph, a publication or broadcaster logo, and a motivation statement of up to 500 words outlining the significance, originality, impact, and challenges associated with the investigation.
Broadcast entries must also include a transcript and a short video clip for publicity purposes. Team submissions should include the names of all team members and a description of their respective roles.
Entries must only include work published within the competition period. Although not mandatory, submissions in languages other than English are encouraged to include an English translation. Late submissions will not be accepted.
The organizers stated that entries should consist of a single story or a series of stories published or broadcast between July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026.
The competition offers a cash prize of US$5,000 for the winner and US$2,000 for the runner-up. In addition, all finalists will have their flights and accommodation covered to attend the African Investigative Journalism Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
The deadline for submissions is July 10, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. South African Standard Time (SAS). Click here to read more about the award. If you are interested in applying, click here to complete the 2026 entry form. Questions and inquiries about the awards can be directed to aijc@journalism.co.za, while supporting documents should be sent to aijc.awards@journalism.co.za.
