The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has unveiled activities to commemorate its 20th anniversary, including the 20th Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (WSAIR) and the fifth edition of the Amplify In-depth Media (AIM) Conference.
The events, themed “WSCIJ @20: Investigative Reporting and the Future of Truth,” will run from December 8 to 9 as a hybrid gathering. According to the Centre, the AIM Conference will hold virtually at 11 a.m. on both days, while the awards ceremony and anniversary celebration will take place on December 9 at the AGIP Recital Hall, MUSON Centre, Lagos. A red-carpet session is scheduled for 4 p.m., ahead of the 5 p.m. main event.
Established in 2005 to strengthen accountability reporting in Nigeria, the Centre is named after Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka. Over the last two decades, WSCIJ says it has supported more than 10,000 journalists and collaborated with over 180 media organisations to expose corruption, document human rights abuses, and hold power to account.
Motunrayo Alaka, Executive Director/CEO of WSCIJ, described the anniversary as a moment of reflection on the Centre’s influence on Nigeria’s media and civic space.
“This milestone is beyond longevity; it is about legacy,” she said. “For 20 years, we have championed courageous journalism and built systems that defend the public’s right to know. As we look ahead, we are asking how truth can survive in a rapidly changing world.”
This year’s AIM Conference and awards will gather investigative reporters, editors, media entrepreneurs, civil society leaders, government officials and development partners to discuss the future of investigative journalism. The conversations will focus on democracy, technology, local reporting, newsroom collaboration, and the sustainability challenges confronting the media sector.
The awards will feature a keynote session, panel dialogues and special recognitions for individuals and journalists who have shown outstanding courage and public-interest commitment.
Since its inception, the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting has produced 130 finalists, 58 laureates and 13 Investigative Journalists of the Year, alongside 31 honorary recognitions in the Lifetime and Human Rights Defender categories.
As WSCIJ marks two decades of work, the Centre says its mission to strengthen public-interest journalism and democratic accountability remains unchanged — and perhaps more urgent than ever.
