A content writer and field reporter with The Guardian Nigeria, Abuja Bureau, Tina H. Abeku, has been shortlisted for the 2026 edition of Reporter Slam Nigeria, a live journalism storytelling platform.

Abeku was selected alongside five other journalists drawn from different media organisations and locations across the country to share the stories behind their reporting on stage.

Other selected journalists are Abdul-Hafeez Fadehan, a freelancer based in Lagos, Adetutu Sobowale of PUNCH, Ogun, Aliyu Muhammad of the Nigerian Television Authority, Sokoto, Melody Dauda of Albarka Radio, Bauchi and Temiloluwa Bamgbose of BusinessDay, Lagos.

The event, themed “Journalism and The Nigerian Story,” is scheduled to hold on October 14, 2026, at the Alliance Française in Lagos.

Organised by Reporter Slam Nigeria with support from the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Media Programme Sub-Saharan Africa, the initiative provides journalists an opportunity to move beyond conventional news reports to present the experiences, challenges and human stories behind their work.

According to the organisers, the Reporter Slam is an innovative live journalism format that brings reporters from behind their desks onto the stage in engaging 10 minute performances that combine storytelling, humour and multimedia elements.

Rather than focusing only on the final story, the format highlights the ‘story behind the story’, how journalists work, the challenges they face, and the personal experiences behind their reporting. The audience plays an active role, voting for their favourite performance at the end of the event.

Abeku is a cross-platform award-winning journalist with over 16 years of experience in news writing, analysis and editing.

She is an alumnus of the US Department of State International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP), a rapporteur, event host and had consultant for the UK DFID ENABLE project Nigeria with an A++ rating.

Reacting to her nomination, Abeku said, “I am absolutely thrilled! To be chosen for the first-ever Reporter Slam Nigeria stage in Lagos is a dream. I’m counting down the days.. Shhhh.”

Members of the public can join the livestream via https://bit.ly/3VnCXVo and get a chance to vote for their best performing journalist.