The Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship, an initiative of Sahara Group, is inviting applications from practicing journalists across Africa who are producing impactful stories on energy, climate, governance, and sustainable development. The fellowship is designed to strengthen evidence-based reporting on Africa’s energy transition while equipping journalists with funding, mentorship, industry exposure, and professional development opportunities.
Open to both early-career and experienced reporters, the programme supports original stories published or broadcast between January and 30 November 2026. The overall winner will receive a US$3,500 cash prize, while the total fellowship value reaches up to US$5,000, including training and mentorship benefits.
Asharami Square is Sahara Group’s thought leadership platform focused on advancing conversations around energy, governance, and sustainability. Through this fellowship, the platform moves beyond dialogue by investing directly in journalists whose reporting helps shape Africa’s understanding of its evolving energy landscape.
The fellowship recognises that many of the continent’s most important energy stories lie beyond policy announcements and corporate headlines. Instead, it seeks reporting that examines how energy systems affect communities, economies, climate resilience, and everyday life while proposing practical, forward-looking solutions.
Rather than rewarding commentary alone, the programme prioritises field-based, data-driven, and solutions-oriented journalism that contributes to informed public debate and policy discussions.
Fellowship Benefits
Selected finalists will participate in an intensive professional development programme while gaining access to leading experts across the African energy sector.
Participants will receive:
- Up to US$5,000 in total fellowship value
- US$3,500 cash prize for the overall winning journalist
- Expert-led masterclasses and practical workshops
- Mentorship from industry leaders and experienced journalists
- Exclusive facility tours across the energy value chain
- Networking opportunities with energy professionals and media peers
- Long-term membership in a community of energy journalists across Africa
The fellowship is designed to strengthen both technical knowledge and investigative reporting skills, enabling journalists to produce more nuanced coverage of Africa’s energy transition.
Who Can Apply?
The fellowship is open to practicing journalists and media professionals working anywhere in Africa.
Eligible applicants include reporters working in:
- Print journalism
- Broadcast media
- Digital news platforms
- Multimedia journalism
Both emerging and established journalists are encouraged to apply, provided they are actively practicing journalism at the time of application.
Applicants do not need to specialise exclusively in energy reporting. However, their submitted story must directly address Africa’s energy sector and align with one of the fellowship’s recognised coverage areas.
Eligible Story Themes
The fellowship welcomes investigative and solutions-focused stories covering diverse aspects of Africa’s energy ecosystem.
Eligible topics include:
- Environment and climate
- Electricity and power systems
- Energy economics and development
- Policy and governance
- Data and technology
- Mining and solid minerals
- Oil and gas (upstream, midstream, and downstream)
- Energy access and transition
- Renewable energy and sustainability
Strong submissions should demonstrate journalistic rigour while translating complex technical issues into accessible public understanding.
Submission Requirements
Applicants must submit an original story that was published or broadcast between January and 30 November 2026.
The submitted work must be:
- Original and authored by the applicant
- Previously unpublished in award competitions
- Well researched and thoroughly fact-checked
- Grounded in credible evidence and field reporting
- Focused on Africa’s energy sector
- Solutions-oriented rather than purely descriptive
- Free from promotional or advertorial framing
Stories should clearly explain why the issue matters now and demonstrate meaningful public-interest relevance.
Application Documents
The online application requires both professional information and details about the submitted story.
Applicants will need to provide:
- Full name and contact details
- Passport-size photograph
- Professional biography
- Years of journalism experience
- LinkedIn profile
- Story title and coverage area
- Geographic focus of the report
- Summary explaining the story’s significance
- Reporting methodology, including interviews and data sources
- Public-interest statement
- Media outlet and publication details
- Published story URL or uploaded file
- Letter of attestation from an editor or authorised media executive confirming professional affiliation
The fellowship accepts uploaded stories in PDF, DOC, DOCX, JPG, PNG, MP4, or MP3 formats, with a maximum file size of 10 MB.
Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed by an independent panel of judges with expertise in journalism, energy, and sustainable development.
Judges will evaluate submissions based on:
- Originality
- Reporting quality
- Public-interest value
- Evidence and research
- Relevance to Africa’s energy transition
- Practical, solutions-focused storytelling
Following the review process, the Top 10 finalists and the overall winner will be announced after judging concludes.
How to Strengthen Your Application
A competitive submission should demonstrate more than excellent writing. Journalists should highlight the originality of their investigation, the credibility of their sources, and the societal importance of the issue being reported.
Strong entries often combine interviews, field reporting, datasets, policy analysis, and community perspectives to explain both the challenges and potential solutions within Africa’s energy sector. Applicants should also ensure that their editor’s attestation letter clearly confirms their professional role and affiliation.
Application Deadline
Applications are open to journalists across Africa, with entries closing in November 2026. Eligible stories must have been published or broadcast between January and 30 November 2026 before submission.
