The fellowship is open to practising journalists working across print, broadcast, digital and multimedia platforms, according to Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, lead assessor for the inaugural programme.
Selected fellows will have access to expert-led masterclasses, mentorship sessions, facility tours and engagements with professionals in the energy industry.
The overall winner will receive a $3,500 cash prize, while the total fellowship package is valued at up to $5,000.
Ogwezzy-Ndisika, a professor and communications scholar, said the quality of journalism around Africa’s energy sector would be important to the continent’s ability to address challenges involving infrastructure, financing, policy and access to electricity.
She urged journalists to move beyond reporting problems and focus more on solutions that can contribute to sustainable development.
According to her, energy reporting has traditionally concentrated on issues such as electricity shortages, grid failures, energy poverty, policy challenges and funding gaps.
She said the fellowship would encourage journalists to investigate how communities, businesses, innovators, financiers and policymakers are responding to those challenges.
Ogwezzy-Ndisika stressed that solutions journalism should remain independent and evidence-based rather than becoming advocacy or public relations.
She said participating journalists would be expected to examine issues such as energy financing, decentralised mini-grids and regulatory reforms while assessing their measurable impact.
What Sahara Group is looking for
Bethel Obioma, head of corporate communications at Sahara Group, said the fellowship reflects the company’s belief that journalism can contribute significantly to Africa’s energy transition.
He said the programme would support journalists producing stories that investigate energy-sector responses, explain complex developments and improve public understanding of the continent’s energy challenges.
Applicants will be assessed using five key criteria:
- Integrity and accuracy
- Originality and depth of research
- Balance and context
- Solutions-focused rigour
- Practical impact
Assessors will also consider the use of credible data, the quality of fact-checking, under-reported perspectives and evidence that a story could generate real-world impact.
The Asharami Energy Reporting Fellowship operates under Sahara Group’s Beyond XXX platform and focuses on issues including energy access, infrastructure, financing, sustainability, innovation and policy across Africa.
How to apply
African journalists interested in the fellowship can submit their applications through www.asharamisquarefellowship.com.
The application deadline is November 30, 2026.
The programme is part of Sahara Group’s broader effort to support journalism and platforms that contribute to informed debate and practical action around Africa’s energy future.
