The Association of Practitioners of Community Media in Nigeria (APCOM) has announced the APCOM Grassroots Impact Awards 2026, a national initiative to identify, recognise, document and amplify individuals, institutions and communities making exceptional contributions across Nigeria’s grassroots.

Built around the philosophy that “recognition should not follow prominence; it should follow impact,” the initiative will spotlight measurable contributions across grassroots governance, community development, public service, education, healthcare, enterprise, innovation and community journalism.

According to APCOM President, Abayomi Adejumo, community-media practitioners are uniquely positioned to identify such stories.

“Nigeria’s story is not written only in Abuja or our state capitals. It is written every day in our local governments, wards and communities. Community media is not merely close to these stories; we are close to the evidence.”

APCOM will depart from the conventional awards-night model by taking recognition to where the impact happened. Selected honourees will receive their recognitions in their offices, institutions or communities, where APCOM will also document the stories behind their achievements.

These stories will subsequently be published in the APCOM Grassroots Impact Compendium 2026, creating a permanent national record of outstanding grassroots contributions.

APCOM stated that nominations will be assessed against defined criteria and that selection and recognition will remain independent of any commercial participation in the initiative.

“Excellence will be the threshold. Impact will be the evidence.”

According to the organisers, submissions should include the nominee’s name, location, area of impact and a brief statement of verifiable achievements.