ECOWAS Prepares to Recognize Its Citizen Journalists with Inaugural Journalist Excellence Award Ceremony Scheduled to Take Place in Banjul, The Gambia
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recently announced a landmark initiative, launching its first-ever Journalist Excellence Award. This significant move formalizes ECOWAS’s commitment to recognizing media professionals not just as observers, but as strategic partners in fostering regional integration, democracy, good governance and peace.
The highly anticipated inaugural award ceremony is set to take place in Banjul, The Gambia, on July 25, 2025. This first edition is part of celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS when it was created by the Treaty of Lagos in 1975. It aims to encourage journalists and media professionals to take interest in reporting on the major achievements of ECOWAS in member states and its direct impact on ECOWAS citizens. The event also marks a pivotal moment in ECOWAS’s evolving relationship with journalism, acknowledging professionals whose work exemplifies accuracy, public service, and a steadfast commitment to democratic values and regional integration across West Africa.
The ECOWAS Journalist Excellence Award will honor outstanding contributions in four key categories: Print, Radio, Television, and Online Media. Twelve journalists in total with the top three in each category will be awarded prizes at the ceremony. The competition was open to media professionals from all ECOWAS Member States, with entries accepted between February 20 and March 20, 2025, following a comprehensive, multi-lingual public call. Independent jury comprising seven media experts, chosen for their regional and linguistic diversity and impeccable professional integrity, diligently evaluated submissions in April 2025.
The ceremony in Banjul will bring together award recipients, leading media houses, development partners, civil society representatives, and senior ECOWAS officials. More than just a celebration, it will serve as a powerful platform to publicly reaffirm ECOWAS’s unwavering commitment to journalistic freedom and narrative pluralism.
