The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has announced the commencement of entries for the 20th edition of the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (WSAIR).
This was contained in a statement by the Executive Director, WSCIJ, Motunrayo Alaka.
The call, which opened on Friday, October 3, 2025, marks two decades of the annual award dedicated to celebrating courageous investigative journalism and promoting best practices in the Nigerian media.
The Centre is inviting professional reporters or teams of reporters, whether full-time or freelance whose stories are targeted at a Nigerian audience, to submit entries on or before 4:00 p.m., Friday, October 24, 2025.
The award categories include print, online, photo, editorial cartoon, television, and radio. Eligible entries must have been published or broadcast within the qualifying period.
Since its launch in 2005, the award has honoured journalists whose works expose corruption, spotlight human rights violations, and reveal regulatory failures.
Entries will be assessed by an independent panel using WSCIJ’s award coding system, which ensures fairness and confidentiality.
Submissions will be assessed on investigative depth, evidence, ethical standards, courage, creativity, public interest, impact, and presentation.
In the 2024 edition, WSCIJ received 219 entries, out of which 113 met the eligibility criteria. Of these, 15 journalists emerged as finalists.
Over the years, the award has produced 130 finalists, 58 Soyinka Laureates, and 13 Investigative Journalists of the Year, in addition to 31 honorary awards under the Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence and the Anti-Corruption/Human Rights Defender Awards.
The 20th Award ceremony is slated to hold in Lagos on Monday, December 9, 2025.