The BBC is looking for an up-and-coming journalist from Africa for the 10th annual BBC News Komla Dumor Award. Journalists all over Africa are encouraged to apply for this honor which aims to spot and nurture emerging talent on the continent. The winner will have a three-month internship at the BBC headquarters in London to gain invaluable experience and skills. Applications for the award will close on the 20th of March 2025 at 23:59 GMT.
The Komla Dumor Award is given in memory of Komla Dumor, an experienced Ghanaian broadcaster, and former BBC World News presenter, who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 41, ten years ago. Dumor’s wife, Kwansema Dumor, expressed her pride in her husband’s influence at the BBC and gratitude to the network for keeping his memory alive through this award.
The competition is open to journalists from across Africa, aiming to highlight and celebrate exceptional journalistic talent from the continent. As the recipient, apart from the time spent at the BBC headquarters, the protagonist will have the opportunity to travel to an African country to research and report on a story, which will then be featured on BBC’s global platforms.
Komla Dumor was renowned for promoting vigorous, engaging journalism and made a significant impact on Africa and the world. The BBC is determined to continue his legacy by empowering African journalists to tell original and nuanced African stories to a global audience.
Rukia Bulle from Kenya was the previous winner of the award. During her time at BBC, she traveled to Senegal to cover the Baye Fall, an unconventional Muslim minority that is often misunderstood.
Jonathan Munro, the BBC News Global Director and Deputy CEO, said, “We are proud to introduce this year’s BBC News Komla Dumor Award and the hunt for the next winner.” This marks a decade of the award, a testament to Komla Dumor’s lasting legacy of reporting African stories with depth, insight, and integrity. Previous winners represent the remarkable talent across the continent, and Munro looks forward to welcoming this year’s recipient and encourages journalists to apply.
Dumor initially presented Focus on Africa, the BBC’s first daily TV news program for African audiences and later became one of the lead presenters of BBC World News’ European morning segment. He joined the BBC after over a decade of broadcast journalism in Ghana where he received an award for Ghana Journalist of the Year. From 2007 to 2009, Dumor hosted Network Africa on the BBC World Service, followed by The World Today program. In 2009, he started the African business news program on BBC World News, Africa Business Report, featuring stories on Africa’s top entrepreneurs and the latest business trends. Additionally, Dumor featured in New African magazine’s list of the 100 most influential Africans in 2013.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c798d074wp2o
