The Ray Ekpu Prize for Investigative Journalism has opened entries for its 2026 version, providing a complete of N1.75 million to investigative reporters of Akwa Ibom starting place, as two new sponsors sign up for the initiative established 5 years in the past to advertise responsibility journalism.
The Ray Ekpu Prize Committee in a Facebook post on Thursday mentioned entries opened on 5 October and can shut on 23 October.
The contest is open to participants of the Nigeria Union of Reporters of Akwa Ibom starting place who practise in Nigeria.
The 2026 version is subsidized by means of the Inoyo Toro Foundation, the Ibom Heritage Preservation Basis and Umoh Joshua. The most recent sponsorship association will increase the full prize cash from N1 million to N1.75 million.
The whole winner will obtain N1 million, whilst the primary and 2d runners-up will obtain N500,000 and N250,000, respectively.
How Inoyo established the prize
The prize used to be announced in July 2021 by means of Udom Inoyo, a attorney and previous senior govt of ExxonMobil in Nigeria, as a part of efforts to recognise remarkable investigative journalism and inspire reporters to carry public officers responsible.
The Inoyo Toro Basis officially instituted the award in September 2021, naming it after Ray Ekpu, the veteran Nigerian journalist and co-founder of Newswatch mag.
The inaugural award thru 2023 carried a prize of N500,000 for the winner. Alternatively, in 2024 when Thompson & Grace Funding Ltd joined in sponsoring the award, the prize used to be expanded to deal with a primary runner-up (N300,000) and a 2d runner-up (N200,000).
On the time, Mr Inoyo described the initiative as a contribution to making improvements to journalism in Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria. He mentioned the award used to be supposed to praise high quality, factual investigative reporting and inspire reporters to uphold the career’s watchdog position.
Mr Inoyo, who retired from ExxonMobil after greater than 3 many years of carrier, rose to develop into vice-chairman of the corporate’s Nigerian associates. He studied political science and legislation on the College of Calabar and used to be referred to as to the Nigerian Bar in 1988.
He established the Inoyo Toro Basis in 2007 to advertise schooling and human-capital building, together with the popularity of academics and the mentoring of scholars in Akwa Ibom.
During the basis, he has persisted to beef up the journalism award, which has expanded its prize cash over time. The addition of the Ibom Heritage Preservation Basis and Mr Joshua as joint sponsors for the 2026 version brings additional monetary beef up to the initiative.
The award honours Mr Ekpu, whose occupation in journalism comprises his position in organising Newswatch in 1985 along Dele Giwa, Dan Agbese and Yakubu Mohammed. The mag turned into a outstanding platform for investigative reporting and political journalism in Nigeria.
PREMIUM TIMES reporters amongst previous honourees
Ekemini Simon, a PREMIUM TIMES reporter, is a four-time winner of the Ray Ekpu Prize, having received the award ahead of becoming a member of the newspaper.
Mr Simon used to be additionally a runner-up in 2024 version by which Cletus Ukpong, the regional editor of PREMIUM TIMES, won the prize. Saviour Imukudo, every other PREMIUM TIMES journalist, used to be a runner-up within the 2025 version.
The reporters’ data replicate the award’s popularity of investigative reporting that test public establishments, exposes wrongdoing and contributes to public responsibility.
Eligibility, judging standards
In keeping with the committee, eligible reviews should had been revealed or broadcast between 21 October 2025 and 20 October 2026. Entries would possibly come from print, on-line, radio and tv journalism.
Candidates should supply proof of e-newsletter or broadcast, together with verifiable main points of the date, time and media organisation. Tv entries should come with a video recording of the published.
Entries might be assessed towards six standards: intensity of investigation, conformity with the beliefs of journalistic excellence, taste and language of presentation, contribution to just right governance in public administrative center, affect at the combat towards corruption and impunity, and contribution to nationwide team spirit and ethnic concord.
The committee mentioned the intensity of investigation and journalistic excellence raise 20 issues each and every. Taste and language account for 15 issues, whilst the remainder 3 standards raise 15 issues each and every.
reporters can practice thru rayekpuprize.org by means of settling on “Practice Now”, growing an account, finishing their profiles and filing their entries.
The committee mentioned the winners can be introduced at a public tournament later this 12 months.
