Punch journalist among winners of Open the Knowledge Journalism Awards
PUNCH journalist Abiodun Adewale has been recognised as one of the recipients of the 2026 Open the Knowledge Journalism Awards. He was honoured alongside Nigerian freelance journalist Rakiya Muhammad and Kenyan journalist Angeline Ochieng. The awards, organised by the International Centre for Journalists and Wikimedia Foundation, celebrate journalists whose work serves as reliable source material for Wikipedia. The winning stories highlight the impact of African journalists in closing knowledge gaps and improving representation on the world’s largest online encyclopedia.
Match highlights
- Abiodun Adewale was awarded second place for his feature on Nigeria’s U-19 women’s cricket team and their achievements at the 2025 ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia.
- Rakiya Muhammad won first prize for her report on the migration and economic influence of Yoruba women from Ejigbo, Osun State, to Ivory Coast.
- Angeline Ochieng received a special mention for her story on reformed midwives in rural Kenya who are helping reduce maternal deaths.
- The awards attracted 320 entries from journalists across 40 African countries, focusing on women, youth, arts, culture, heritage, and sports.
- Organisers emphasised the importance of African stories on Wikipedia, noting that only 3.7 per cent of English-language articles are about Africa.
