Abdullah Tijani, Managing Editor of The Liberalist, and Shereefdeen Ahmad, a Staff Writer with the organisation, have won major honours at the 2025 Excellence in Journalism Awards ceremony organised by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), held on Wednesday night in Abuja.
At the ceremony, Tijani was recognised for his outstanding contribution to combating misinformation across Africa. His report was named Best Fact-Check (Anglophone Category) under the Kwame Kari-Kari Fact-Checking Fellowship Awards 2025.
CJID praised Tijani’s works during the fellowship for its strong commitment to accuracy, clarity, and public accountability, noting that it reflects a deep dedication to protecting information integrity and strengthening democratic discourse.
“This recognition celebrates his dedication to evidence-based journalism and his contribution to a more informed and responsible public sphere,” CJID said.
Reacting to the honour, Tijani described the award as a major motivation to deepen his work. “This award has reinforced my belief in shaping a better society by holding firmly to the truth,” he said.
Shereefdeen Ahmad also emerged as a winner at the event, clinching the Alfred Opubor Next-Gen Award . His investigative report, titled “In Sokoto, Rural Dwellers Left Behind as Health Facilities Rot,” was adjudged the overall best among the entries.
The report documents the deteriorating state of healthcare facilities in rural communities across Sokoto State and highlights the impact of failing infrastructure on underserved populations.
Commenting on the win, Ahmad described the competition as intense and highly competitive.
CJID commended Ahmad for his impactful reporting. “His work amplifies neglected voices, exposes the realities of abandoned healthcare infrastructure, and reinforces the power of journalism in driving accountability and social development,” the organisation stated.
The CJID Excellence in Journalism Awards, held as part of the Media Development Conference, is designed to celebrate outstanding journalistic contributions from students and mainstream reporters across Africa, recognising excellence in categories such as community reporting, fact-checking, health, climate change, gender, and environmental reporting.
