Two journalists from The Liberalist, Abdullah Tijani and Shereefdeen Ahmad have emerged among Africa’s most celebrated young reporters on Wednesday night, after clinching major honours at the 2025 Excellence in Journalism Awards organised by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) in Abuja.
At the event, Managing Editor Abdullah Tijani won the Best Fact-Check (Anglophone) award under the Kwame Kari-Kari Fact-Checking Fellowship category. His work was praised for its precision, rigour, and strong commitment to accuracy, qualities CJID said are essential to countering the rising tide of misinformation across the continent.
According to the organisers, Tijani’s fact-checking contributions reflect “a deep dedication to protecting information integrity, strengthening democratic discourse, and promoting a more responsible public sphere.”
Responding to the recognition, Tijani described the honour as an encouragement to keep pushing for truth-driven journalism. “This award has reinforced my belief in shaping a better society by holding firmly to the truth,” he said.
Also honoured on the night was staff writer Shereefdeen Ahmad, who won the Alfred Opubor Next-Gen Award for his investigative report, “In Sokoto, Rural Dwellers Left Behind as Health Facilities Rot.” The story, which situates the worsening health infrastructure crisis in rural Sokoto communities, was adjudged the best among all submissions in the category.
Ahmad, reflecting on the achievement, described the competition as intense but inspiring, adding that such platforms push young reporters to elevate their craft.
CJID applauded Ahmad’s work for “amplifying neglected voices, exposing the realities of abandoned healthcare infrastructure, and demonstrating the essential role journalism plays in driving accountability and social development.”
The CJID Excellence in Journalism Awards, held as part of the annual Media Development Conference, recognise outstanding reporting from students and professional journalists across Africa. Categories span fact-checking, community reporting, climate and environmental journalism, gender reporting, health, and other development-focused beats.
