Two Nigerian journalists, Rakiya Muhammad and Abiodun Adewale, have been recognised by the International Centre for Journalists (ICFJ), in partnership with the Wikimedia Foundation, for their outstanding contributions to knowledge-driven reporting through the 2026 Open the Knowledge Journalism Awards.

A Kenyan journalist, Angeline Ochieng, also received a special mention in the awards, which celebrate journalism that expands and improves information on Wikipedia.

The awards honoured stories focusing on migration, youth sports and maternal health, highlighting the crucial role of journalists in building a more comprehensive global knowledge ecosystem.

Rakiya Muhammad, a freelance journalist, emerged as the first-place winner for her article, West Africa’s Borderless Women: Inside the Yoruba Sisterhood Linking Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, published in RM Times.

The report examined the decades-long migration pattern of women from Ejigbo in southwest Nigeria to Côte d’Ivoire, documenting how they have become influential economic actors in Abidjan’s markets while strengthening cultural ties between the two countries.
The story noted that remittances and contributions from migrants in Côte d’Ivoire account for as much as 80 per cent of Ejigbo’s funding.
Reacting to the recognition, Muhammad said the award had renewed her commitment to telling authentic African stories.

“Receiving this honour renews my passion for telling stories that place African women at the heart of the narrative as active agents of development, leadership and social change.

“The recognition rekindles my commitment to documenting positive stories about Africa with authenticity and depth, while shedding light on the gendered dimensions often overlooked in broader discussions,” she said.

Sports journalist Abiodun Adewale came second for his report, Breaking Boundaries: How Nigeria’s U-19 Women Are Rewriting Cricket History, published by The Punch. The story chronicled the journey of Nigeria’s Junior Female Yellow Greens during their preparations for, and participation in, the 2025 International Youth Cricket World Cup, while drawing attention to the growing popularity of cricket in Nigeria despite limited media coverage.

For the Kenyan journalist, Angeline Ochieng, her Daily Nation report, The Converts: How Reformed Midwives Are Ending Maternal Deaths, explored how former traditional birth attendants in rural Kenya have embraced advocacy for hospital deliveries, contributing to reductions in maternal deaths and complications.

According to the organisers, the awards recognise the essential contribution of journalists in producing evidence-based reporting that volunteer Wikipedia editors can use to develop and enrich content on the online encyclopedia.
Earlier this year, African journalists residing on the continent were invited to submit self-nominations for stories that broaden knowledge about Africa, particularly in the areas of women and youth, as well as arts, culture, heritage and sports.

A total of 320 entries were received from 40 African countries. President of the International Centre for Journalists, Sharon Moshavi, emphasised the complementary relationship between journalism and Wikipedia.

“Journalism and Wikipedia need each other. Wikipedia’s volunteer editors rely on independent reporting to build a more complete knowledge resource, and journalists benefit from the global and multilingual reach that Wikipedia provides.

” These awards recognise that relationship and the African journalists who are making our digital information ecosystem stronger,” Moshavi said.

Chief Communications Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation, Anusha Alikhan, said African voices remain critical to addressing knowledge gaps on the world’s largest online encyclopedia.
“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,” she said.

Also commenting, Olaniyan Ishola Oulushola, who also serves as President of Wikimedia Nigeria, described the quality of the entries as commendable.

“As a Wikipedia editor, I see in each of them an opportunity to improve information about Africa on Wikipedia. From documenting the history of women cross-border traders in West Africa to the achievements of female cricketers, each of these articles brings us a step closer to closing the knowledge gaps we are working on every day,” he said.

The organisers noted that although Wikipedia marked its 25th anniversary in January 2026 and currently hosts more than 65 million articles in over 300 languages, significant gaps remain in African representation.
They disclosed that only 3.7 per cent of articles on the English-language Wikipedia focus on Africa, underscoring the need for more reliable and published reporting from the continent.

The winners were selected by a panel comprising African civil society leaders, academics, and staff of ICFJ and the Wikimedia Foundation, as well as members of the global Wikipedia volunteer community.