Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026 | Up to $5,000 Fellowship Value | Journalism Fellowship in Africa

The Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026 is an opportunity for journalists and media professionals across Africa to strengthen their energy reporting skills, gain industry exposure, receive mentorship, and develop evidence-based stories about Africa’s energy and environmental challenges.

The fellowship is a Sahara Group initiative under its Sahara Beyond XXX vision and is designed to support journalists telling important stories about Africa’s energy future.

With a total fellowship value of up to $5,000, including a USD 3,500 grand prize, the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship provides funding and professional development opportunities for journalists whose published or broadcast stories demonstrate strong research, public-interest relevance and practical, forward-looking solutions.

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About the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship

The Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship is an initiative of Asharami Square, Sahara Group’s thought-leadership platform focused on energy, governance and sustainability.

The fellowship represents the next chapter of the Asharami Square platform, moving beyond conversations about Africa’s energy sector to directly investing in journalists who investigate and communicate the continent’s energy challenges.

The Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026 seeks journalists who can go beyond headlines, announcements and policy statements to uncover the realities affecting communities, industries and energy systems across Africa.

The programme is particularly focused on evidence-based, investigative and solutions-oriented energy reporting.

Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026 Overview

The Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026 is designed to strengthen the quality of journalism covering Africa’s energy sector.

Selected fellows and finalists gain access to capacity building, industry exposure and mentorship, while the overall winner receives a cash prize.

Key Fellowship Details

• Fellowship: Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship
• Year: 2026
• Field: Energy Journalism
• Eligibility: Journalists and media professionals across Africa
• Story requirement: Published or broadcast work
• Publication period: January to November 30, 2026
• Grand prize: USD 3,500
• Total fellowship value: Up to $5,000
• Finalists: Top 10 finalists
• Format: Print, broadcast, digital or multimedia journalism
• Application: Online
• Closing: November 2026

Who Is the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship For?

The Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship is open to practicing journalists and media professionals working across Africa.

The fellowship welcomes both early-career and established journalists, provided applicants are actively practicing journalism at the time of application.

Eligible journalists may work in:

• Print journalism
• Broadcast journalism
• Online journalism
• Digital media
• Multimedia journalism

Applicants from different journalism specializations are welcome, but their submitted story must directly engage with Africa’s energy sector and fit within the fellowship’s accepted coverage areas.

What Stories Does the Fellowship Look For?

The Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026 is looking for bold stories that investigate real challenges affecting Africa’s energy and environmental landscape.

The submitted story should go beyond simply describing a problem. Strong entries should demonstrate research, credible evidence and an effort to identify practical solutions.

Stories may focus on:

• Environment
• Power
• Economics and development
• Policy and governance
• Data and technology
• Mining and solid minerals

Eligible stories can also address the upstream, midstream and downstream segments of the oil and gas industry.

Coverage of the power sector may include electricity generation, transmission, distribution, energy access, regulation, innovation, sustainability and energy transition issues.

What Do Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellows Gain?

The Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship provides professional development and exposure for journalists working on important energy stories.

1. Funding and Financial Support

The fellowship has a total value of up to $5,000, including a USD 3,500 grand prize for the overall winner.

The financial support is intended to support bold and impactful energy storytelling.

2. Masterclasses and Workshops

The winner and top 10 finalists gain access to a capacity-building programme featuring expert-led masterclasses and practical workshops.

These activities are designed to deepen journalists’ understanding of Africa’s changing energy landscape.

3. Industry Exposure

Participants gain opportunities for exposure to the energy value chain through facility tours and engagement with practitioners.

This can help journalists better understand the systems, challenges and stakeholders behind Africa’s energy sector.

4. Mentorship and Professional Network

The fellowship provides access to mentors, industry leaders and fellow journalists.

The programme is intended to help create a long-term community of journalists capable of engaging critically and responsibly with energy issues.

Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship Submission Criteria

For the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026, submitted stories must have been published or broadcast between January and November 30, 2026.

Entries must meet several important criteria.

Original

The submission must be the journalist’s original work and must not have previously been entered for award consideration.

Applicants must also provide complete and accurate citations for sources and references.

Insightful and Accurate

The story should demonstrate strong research, fact-checking, journalistic rigour and meaningful analytical depth.

Fellowship-Aligned

The story should uncover underreported energy issues across Africa and demonstrate the real-world complexity surrounding the subject.

Practical and Forward-Looking

Strong submissions should provide or highlight practical, solutions-oriented perspectives that contribute to Africa’s energy narrative.

How Competitive Is the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship?

The Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship is likely to attract journalists working across Africa because it combines journalism recognition with training, mentorship, industry exposure and financial support.

Applicants should therefore focus on submitting a story that demonstrates more than basic reporting.

A competitive entry should clearly establish:

• Why the issue matters to the public
• Why the story matters now
• The evidence supporting the reporting
• The methodology used
• The people or communities affected
• The broader energy implications
• What is working and what is not
• Why the findings matter
• Potential practical solutions

How to Prepare Your Fellowship Application

Applicants for the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026 should carefully prepare their professional information and story submission before applying.

The application requires information such as:

Personal Details

Applicants will provide:

• Full name
• Contact information
• Passport-size photograph

Professional Background

Applicants should prepare:

• Years of journalism experience
• Professional biography
• LinkedIn profile

Story Information

The application asks for information about the submitted story, including:

• Coverage area
• Story title
• Geographic focus
• Entry summary
• Sources and data
• Societal impact
• Proposed solutions
• Reporting methodology
• Interviews
• Datasets
• Field visits
• Public-interest statement
• Publication medium
• Media outlet

Applicants should also provide a link or file containing the published story.

A direct URL to the published or broadcast story is preferred. Alternatively, applicants can upload a copy in one of the accepted formats, including PDF, DOC, DOCX, JPG, PNG, MP4 or MP3, subject to the stated 10 MB maximum file size.

Editor or Media Organization Attestation

Applicants are also required to provide a letter of attestation from an editor or authorized executive of their media organization confirming their role and affiliation.

This is an important part of preparing an application, so journalists should arrange the required confirmation before submitting their entry.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Journalists applying for the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship should avoid submitting work that does not clearly meet the fellowship criteria.

Common issues to watch for include:

Submitting an Unpublished Story

The fellowship accepts published or broadcast stories. Unpublished drafts and personal essays are not accepted.

Using Promotional Content

The submission should avoid promotional or advertorial framing.

Weak Evidence

The fellowship emphasizes credible research, data and fact-checked reporting. Applicants should clearly demonstrate how their findings were established.

Failing to Explain Public Interest

A strong story should explain why the issue matters to communities, policymakers, investors, industry stakeholders or the wider public.

Staying on the Surface

The fellowship is specifically interested in reporting that goes beyond announcements and policy soundbites.

Career Benefits of Energy Journalism

Participation in the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026 can contribute to professional development for journalists interested in energy, sustainability and development reporting.

Energy journalism intersects with several important areas, including:

• Energy policy
• Climate and environment
• Oil and gas
• Electricity
• Sustainable development
• Mining
• Technology
• Economics
• Governance
• Energy transition

Developing expertise in these areas can help journalists build specialized reporting portfolios and engage with complex issues affecting Africa’s economic and environmental future.

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How to Apply for the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026

Applications for the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026 are submitted online through the fellowship application portal.

Applicants should prepare their published or broadcast story, professional information, publication details, reporting methodology, public-interest statement and required attestation before beginning the application.

Applications close in November 2026.

Final Thoughts

The Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026 offers African journalists an opportunity to strengthen their ability to investigate and explain the continent’s energy challenges.

Rather than focusing only on announcements and headlines, the fellowship seeks reporting that uncovers underreported issues, uses credible evidence and helps audiences understand the real-world impact of energy decisions.

With up to $5,000 in total fellowship value, a USD 3,500 grand prize, masterclasses, workshops, industry exposure and mentorship, the fellowship could be particularly valuable for journalists seeking to develop deeper expertise in energy reporting.

For journalists across Africa with a relevant story published or broadcast during the eligible period, the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship 2026 is an opportunity worth considering before applications close in November 2026.