By CHIKA IZUORA, Lagos
Sahara Group, has unveiled the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship, committing up to $5,000 in funding, mentorship, and expert-led engagement to elevate energy journalism across Africa.
The Fellowship is an extension of Asharami Square, Sahara Group’s flagship thought leadership platform, now in its third edition, focused on sustainability and energy transition. Themed “Energising Africa’s Energy Future: Legacy, Impact, and Transformation,” this year’s event will bring together industry leaders, policymakers, academia, and the media on July 22, 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria.
The Asharami Energy Reporting Fellowship reflects Sahara Group’s evolution from convening conversations to strengthening the narratives defining Africa’s energy future. Guided by the theme, “Telling Africa’s Energy Story. Shaping Solutions,” it advances solutions-driven reporting on infrastructure gaps, financing, policy trade-offs, and community impact.
Ejiro Gray, Director, Governance and Sustainability at Sahara Group, said the initiative is focused on strengthening the quality of discourse around energy on the continent. “As the energy landscape becomes more complex, the need for accurate, contextual, and impactful reporting becomes even more critical. This Fellowship is designed to support journalists in telling stories that go beyond headlines and uncover the real dynamics shaping Africa’s energy future,” she said.
Bethel Obioma, Head, Corporate Communications, Sahara Group, said the Fellowship extends Asharami Square’s long-standing focus on shaping narratives. “At Sahara Group, we believe storytelling is a powerful driver of progress. With the Fellowship, we are going a step further to support the storytellers themselves, enabling a new wave of galvanising journalists across Africa to unearth untold energy stories, spotlight practical solutions, and contribute meaningfully to the continent’s energy future,” he said.
“To participate, journalists from across Africa, spanning print, electronic, and digital media, are invited to submit well-researched stories via the Fellowships’ portal, www.
Entries must be stories published or broadcast between January and October 30, 2026, and should be original, insightful, and accurate. Submissions must align with the Fellowship’s focus on uncovering underreported energy issues and advancing practical, forward-looking solutions for Africa’s energy future.
An independent jury comprising experts in energy journalism and sustainable development will assess entries. The Fellowship offers up to $5,000 in funding, combining financial support, immersive learning, mentorship, and high-level exposure to build capacity for shaping Africa’s energy narrative.