Surge Africa and One World Media have partnered to launch a powerful new opportunity for Nigerian journalists, the Climate Reporting Gap Fellowship, designed to strengthen local climate journalism and close the coverage gap around energy transition stories across the country.
This initiative will support six Nigerian journalists to produce compelling stories that bring climate finance and the realities of energy transition closer to the people. Whether you’re working in print, radio, TV, or multimedia, this Fellowship offers you the platform, funding, and mentorship to report bold, solutions-focused journalism that puts communities at the heart of the climate conversation.
What You’ll Get
- Up to £5,000 in funding
- One-on-one editorial mentorship
- In-depth training in Nigeria and online
- A curated workshop trip to Colombia
- Promotion of your work by global media partners
- Membership in the One World Media alumni network
- Access to safety and impact workshops, pitching sessions, and more
You can also apply for African Futures Lab AfaRise Fellowship for African Changemakers
The Stories We’re Looking For
Fellows will be expected to pitch and produce stories that:
- Simplify complex climate issues and make them accessible
- Investigate energy transition and climate finance with urgency and depth
- Amplify underreported perspectives, especially from grassroots communities
- Use data-driven evidence and real-life case studies
- Challenge the perception that Nigeria’s economy cannot thrive beyond oil
- Hold leaders accountable for climate action promises
Topics may include:
- Energy access and justice
- Decentralising power systems
- Governance of transition minerals
- Phasing out fossil fuels
- Local struggles and grassroots solutions
- Transparency and diplomacy in climate finance
Who Should Apply:
- Nigerian journalists and filmmakers reporting within Nigeria
- Minimum 3–5 years of experience
- Applicants must be working in journalism, storytelling, or visual media
- Prior experience in climate or energy reporting is not mandatory, but a strong interest in these themes is essential
- We’re especially keen on creative ideas, unheard voices, and hard-to-access communities
Output Formats & Expectations:
- Your final story can be a written feature (up to 2,000 words), audio (up to 30 minutes), or short film/video (up to 10 minutes)
- Projects can use data visualisations, illustrations, or animation
- You will receive editorial guidance and feedback throughout the project
- Project grants will be disbursed in instalments
- Final outputs must be delivered by June 2026
Fellowship Timeline:
- Deadline to apply: 20 August 2025
- Fellows announced: October 2025
- Final delivery: June 2026
McGill University Mastercard Scholarship 2026 (Fully Funded for Africans)
Why This Matters:
Across Nigeria, climate change is not just a buzzword — it’s a daily reality. From water scarcity to unpredictable rainfall and rising temperatures, communities are feeling the impact. Yet, local stories that connect these realities to energy policy, finance, and leadership often go untold.
This Fellowship is about changing that narrative. It’s about equipping journalists with the tools to:
- Unpack the politics of energy transition
- Translate global climate finance into local impact
- Localise climate data for everyday audiences
- Put citizens at the centre of the climate conversation
You can apply for the Climate Reporting Gap Fellowship here.
About Surge Africa:
This programme is part of the Climate Reporting Gap Initiative (CRGI), a collaboration between Surge Africa, One World Media, Mutante, and the University of Birmingham.
Surge Africa is a policy and media think-tank with over 8 years of experience working across Africa and Latin America. They are dedicated to advancing climate resilience by empowering communities and informing policy through evidence-based communication. Surge Africa has delivered programmes in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Brazil.
