One hundred and nine entries were received for the 2022 competition, the organisers said.
PREMIUM TIMES Capital Market and Companies correspondent, Ronald Adamolekun, has won the best African Growth Story award at the 2022 Sanlam Financial Journalism Awards held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday.
Mr Adamolekun emerged winner with his entries "Facing High Wheat Prices, Nigerian Bakers Turn to Potato Puree" and "Among Underserved Nigerians, Awareness of Health Insurance Remains Poor but Insurtech Offers Hope" published on PREMIUM TIMES last year.
Mr Adamolekun's broad reporting experience spans financial markets, corporate corruption, financial inclusion, banking, and agri-business.
He is a grantee of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, the second-prize winner of the Finance & Capital Markets Reporting category at the 2022 PwC Media Excellence Awards, and the first runner-up in the online category of the 2023 Pan-African (Re)Insurance Journalism Awards.
"One hundred and nine entries were received for the 2022 competition," the organisers said.
The Sanlam Awards
The Sanlam Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism have recognised and rewarded exceptional business journalism in Africa since 1974.
Before this cycle of the awards, the competition was made up of seven category prizes and three main awards - The African Growth Story, Business and Companies, Economy, Financial Markets, Consumer Financial Education, Broadcast: Radio/Audio/Podcasting (in business reporting), and Broadcast: Television/Video (in business reporting).
However, this year, the organisers introduced a new category, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), with two sub-categories - Business and the Environment and Business and Society.
According to the organisers, this category received an impressive response from the journalists, as did other popular categories such as Business and Companies and the African Growth Story.
"The broadcast categories attracted a significantly limited number of entries," they said.
While speaking, the Chief Executive of Sanlam Group, Paul Hanratty, disclosed that the award has expanded over the years and this has also served as an encouragement for journalists in their various fields.
"This year we have over 150 entries from across the continent in various languages. Sanlam has a proud track record of supporting financial journalism & recognises that a vibrant society must have robust journalism.
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"I ask all the financial journalists to keep up the great work, it's really your effort that helps us deliver what we need to in the economic space," he said.
I ask all the financial journalists to keep up the great work, it's really your effort that helps us deliver what we need to in the economic space.- Paul Hanratty, @sanlam Group CEO#SanlamAwards @SantamInsurance pic.twitter.com/OvF9ae8uQf-- Sanlam Financial Journalism Awards (@SanlamAwards) August 3, 2023
In his remarks, Chairman of the independent judging panel and a communications consultant, Nixon Kariithi, said that the entries were highly competitive, covering various issues in Africa.
"The Sanlam Group Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism continue to grow from strength to strength with widespread participation from across the continent," he said.
"The entries were highly competitive, covering a range of topical issues impacting Africa's economy, and reflected the relevance of financial journalism on governance, and combining the world of business with compelling human-interest angles."
On Thursday, other Nigerian journalists who emerged victorious across the award categories are Justice Nwafor (ESG Winner category), Kingsley Jeremiah (First Runner-up, African Growth Story), Damilola Olufemi (Best New Comer Award), and Destiny Onyemihia (Second Runner up Broadcast: Audio)
