Asharami Square Fellowship to Champion Solutions Journalism in Africa’s Energy Sector – Ndisika
Professor Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, Lead Assessor
*****Asharami Square Fellowship Seeks Journalists Who Can Drive Africa’s Energy Conversation Forward
*****Fellowship submission deadline now 30 November, 2026
Professor Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika has challenged journalists across Africa to adopt a more solutions-oriented approach to reporting on the continent’s energy sector, describing journalism as a powerful force in driving sustainable development and energy transformation.
The Lead Assessor of the maiden Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship said Africa needs storytelling that not only exposes challenges but also examines the ideas, innovations and policies addressing them.
She said the continent’s energy narrative should reflect both the scale of existing challenges and the growing efforts underway to tackle them. Journalists, she added, must help audiences understand what progress looks like and where opportunities for impact lie.
“Pointing out the darkness without illuminating the pathways to light leaves our communities paralysed by despair rather than empowered to act,” she noted.
She added that the Fellowship is designed to strengthen journalism that can help shape public discourse, encourage accountability and support informed decision-making.
“We are looking for stories that inform public discourse, influence legislative action and hold power accountable. Journalists must not settle for shallow headlines.
They should trace the funding, critique the technology, interrogate the policies and highlight the responses transforming Africa’s energy landscape.”
The initiative is open to practising journalists across Africa and includes mentorship, masterclasses, facility tours and engagement with industry experts as part of the learning experience.
Commenting on the Fellowship, Sahara Group’s Head of Corporate Communications, Bethel Obioma, said the initiative reflects the organisation’s belief in the role of journalism as a driver of progress across Africa’s energy landscape.
“Africa’s energy story requires more than reporting challenges. It requires journalism that interrogates responses, highlights practical solutions and deepens public understanding of the realities shaping the continent’s energy landscape,” he said.
Obioma encouraged journalists across Africa to apply, noting that assessors will prioritise entries that demonstrate strong research, credible data, under-reported perspectives and practical impact.
