Two PREMIUM TIMES’ journalists who labored on a collaborative investigation that unravelled lead poisoning linked to battery recycling in Nigeria have been named among the many three finalists for the 2026 African Investigative Journalist of the Year Awards.
The investigation was led by the editor of the Business and Economy desk of PREMIUM TIMES, Oladeinde Olawoyin, and an award-winning investigative reporter, Folashade Ogunrinde.
The Wits Centre for Journalism, supported by Absa Africa, is organising the award in its fourth yr to recognise excellent investigative reporting throughout Africa that reveals untold tales, holds the highly effective to account, questions these in public life, and serves the general public curiosity.
The 2026 African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC), the place the winner and runners-up might be introduced at a gala ceremony on 11 November, is scheduled to be held from 10 to 12 November on the Edge Convention Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.
This yr’s version attracted over 200 entries throughout the continent, and the standard of investigative reporting made it difficult for the judges to pick out finalists.
“Judging these awards is never an easy process as there is so much valuable investigative journalism happening on our continent now,” stated the convenor of judges, Gwen Lister.
He famous that judges needed to assess the investigative work of shortlisted finalists in opposition to strict standards, sparking vibrant debates and in-depth discussions on the deserves and impression of the submissions.
“As judges, we all hope that striving for the prestigious title of African Investigative Journalist of the Year will spur on journalists across the continent to even greater heights,” Mr Lister added.
Dinesh Balliah, the director of the Wits Centre for Journalism, stated the award reaffirmed journalism’s function in holding energy to account within the context of an absence of sources, ongoing threats of violence and demise and misinformation/disinformation.
“I wish we could recognise every one of the entrants through these awards, but it is impossible. The top three, though, represent all of these incredible journalists and their impactful work,” Mr Balliah stated.
Daniel Munslow, managing government of group communications at Absa Group, stated the organisation recognises the crucial function investigative journalism performs in strengthening transparency, accountability and public belief, which is why it celebrates some of the continent’s most interesting journalistic expertise and the vital work they do in bringing very important points to mild.
“The 2026 Absa African Investigative Journalist of the Year Award celebrates some of the continent’s most interesting journalistic expertise and the vital work they do in bringing very important points to mild.
“We are proud to support a platform that champions excellence in journalism and contributes to building more informed, resilient and prosperous societies across Africa,” Mr Munslow said.
The entry
From a longlist of 5, PREMIUM TIMES’ investigation, ‘Lead In Their Blood / Poor Oversight, Regulatory Failure Expose Nigerians to Slow Death from Battery Recycling’, by Mr Olawoyin and Ms Ogunrinde of PREMIUM TIMES with The Examination, Nigeria, was shortlisted alongside two different investigative reviews.
They are ‘Your Eyes, Their Data’ by Naipanoi Lepapa, Kenya, in collaboration with Julia Lindblom of Göteborgs-Posten and Ahmed Abdigadir of Svenska Dagbladet, and ‘Nine Lives: King Cat and His Tender Empire’ by Jeff Wicks of News24, South Africa.
The investigation examined the well being and environmental penalties of lead-acid battery recycling in elements of Africa, with PREMIUM TIMES reporting extensively from Ogijo, a neighborhood in Ogun State the place a number of battery recycling factories function.
The report discovered that residents and staff across the factories had been uncovered to harmful ranges of lead air pollution.
To present scientific proof for the investigation, the mission commissioned impartial blood lead testing for 70 residents, together with soil and air high quality sampling round battery recycling crops in Ogun State.
Of the 70 individuals who volunteered for blood assessments, seven out of each 10 recorded dangerous ranges of lead, in line with the investigation. Every employee examined was additionally discovered to have been poisoned.
More than half of the youngsters examined had lead ranges excessive sufficient to trigger lifelong mind harm, the investigation reported.
Soil and dirt samples collected across the factories additionally confirmed intensive contamination, with some recording lead concentrations far above ranges usually considered hazardous.
The investigation estimated that greater than 20,000 individuals lived inside a mile of the factories.
PREMIUM TIMES revealed its Nigerian investigation in two elements. The first report, “Lead In Their Blood: How Battery Recyclers Are Poisoning Nigerians,” documented the well being dangers confronted by residents and staff in Ogijo.
The second, “Poor Oversight, Regulatory Failure Exposes Nigerians to Slow Death from Battery Recycling,” examined failures by regulatory authorities and the situations that allowed the hazardous operations to proceed.
The investigation additionally examined the worldwide provide chain, tracing Nigeria’s recycled result in abroad consumers and the worldwide automotive business.
The broader mission discovered that recycled lead from Nigerian factories entered worldwide provide chains used to supply automotive batteries.
It documented how one American battery producer, East Penn Manufacturing, purchased Nigerian lead by way of the worldwide buying and selling firm Trafigura. Following the reporting, the corporate stated it will cease importing the Nigerian lead and introduce extra scrutiny of its lead purchases.
Impact & Recognitions
Following the publication, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency shut down battery recycling services in Ogijo over environmental issues.
The Ogun State Government additionally introduced measures in response to the findings, together with plans to check residents for lead publicity, whereas the House of Representatives referred to as for an investigation into lead poisoning issues in Ogijo and demanded an emergency response.
The state authorities and Lagos State Government additionally started a joint investigation into the air pollution risk, whereas the Ogun authorities moved to droop lead exports and shut affected battery recycling crops.
Nigerian authorities later moved to shut factories linked to the US automotive business amid the lead-poisoning investigation.
The reporting mission has since been recognised for its depth and impression, profitable PREMIUM TIMES’ standout report of 2025.
In September, it was named a finalist in two classes of the 2026 Online Journalism Awards within the United States.
The mission has additionally acquired different worldwide recognition, particularly within the United States.
The mission received the Selden Ring Award for Investigative Reporting from USC Annenberg and the John B. Oakes Award for environmental journalism.
It additionally received the Edward R. Murrow Awards for Investigative Reporting (Large Digital Organisation) and Best Video/Documentary about worldwide affairs from the Overseas Press Club.
It received the Scripps Howard Journalism Awards, receiving each the Impact Award and the Excellence in Environmental Reporting Award.
In the Gerald Loeb Awards, it was named a finalist within the Video News class.
Mr Olawoyin, a a number of award-winning journalist, leads a number of tasks at PREMIUM TIMES and mentors and supervises reporters.
Apart from his reporting of world financial points throughout elements of Africa and the remaining of the world, Mr Olawoyin’s reporting and analysis pursuits sit on the intersection of media framing and the impression of AI on the long run of work, particularly within the casual economic system in Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Global South.
Ms Ogunrinde is an award-winning investigative journalist recognised for her work in governance, accountability and inclusive improvement.
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