A journalist with the Daily Graphic, Mohammed Fugu, has picked an award at the ninth Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) awards held in Kaduna, Nigeria.
He was adjudged the first runner-up in the Print Category of the prestigious continental awards scheme.
His entry, titled: “The Silent Epidemic: Extreme Heat Fuels Meningitis — Upper West Region Worst Affected”, investigated how rising temperatures occasioned by climate are driving a surge in meningitis cases in northern Ghana, with the Upper West Region recording the highest mortalities every year.
It presented evidence showing how climatic shifts are influencing public health risks and exacerbating meningitis infections in the northern part of the country.
Five other journalists, who were also recognised for their outstanding works, were Adedokun Theophilus Oluwapelumi, Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim, Hamzat Ibrahim Abaga, Nanji Nandang, Nigeria Destiny Onyemihia and Nasiru Saidu.
The winners were announced at the Africa Conference on Development Journalism on December 4, 2025, in Kaduna, Nigeria.
The conference brought together journalists, media leaders, researchers, and development practitioners to explore journalism’s evolving role in promoting transparency, accountability, and sustainable development across the continent.
The awards
The AMDF award, which was instituted in 2016, recognises exceptional reporting that addresses Africa’s pressing development challenges while promoting transparency, good governance and active citizen engagement.
It seeks to motivate more journalists to pursue solution-driven storytelling that strengthens democratic participation and drives social transformation.
The Africa Media Development Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing development journalism across the continent.
Through training programmes, press freedom advocacy and award initiatives, AMDF supports journalists to produce high-quality, socially relevant stories that promote accountability, social justice, and sustainable development.
Underreported issues
In her remarks, the Executive Director of AMDF, Sekyen Dadik, congratulated the winners for their dedication and commitment to highlighting underreported issues in Africa.
She said, “Through their reporting, they amplify underrepresented voices, challenge systems of power, and drive conversations that shape a better future for our continent.
Their dedication reminds us that journalism remains a cornerstone of progress and accountability.”
She charged journalists to spotlight underreported development issues and to amplify the voices of communities whose concerns too often go unnoticed.
