PREMIUM TIMES’ journalists, others named finalists of African Investigative Journalism Awards

Two PREMIUM TIMES’ journalists who worked on a collaborative investigation that unravelled lead poisoning linked to battery recycling in Nigeria have been named among the 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 year to recognise outstanding investigative reporting across Africa that reveals untold stories, holds the powerful to account, questions those in public life, and serves the public interest.

The 2026 African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC), where the winner and runners-up will be announced at a gala ceremony on 11 November, is scheduled to be held from 10 to 12 November at the Edge Convention Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.

This year’s edition attracted over 200 entries across the continent, and the quality of investigative reporting made it challenging for the judges to select finalists.

“Judging these awards is never an easy process as there is so much valuable investigative journalism happening on our continent now,” said the convenor of judges, Gwen Lister.

He noted that judges had to assess the investigative work of shortlisted finalists against strict criteria, sparking vibrant debates and in-depth discussions on the merits and impact 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, said the award reaffirmed journalism’s role in holding power to account in the context of a lack of resources, ongoing threats of violence and death 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 said.

Daniel Munslow, managing executive of group communications at Absa Group, said the organisation recognises the critical role investigative journalism plays in strengthening transparency, accountability and public trust, which is why it celebrates some of the continent’s finest journalistic talent and the important work they do in bringing vital issues to light.

“The 2026 Absa African Investigative Journalist of the Year Award celebrates some of the continent’s finest journalistic talent and the important work they do in bringing vital issues to light.

“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 stated.

The entry

From a longlist of five, 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 other investigative reports.

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 health and environmental consequences of lead-acid battery recycling in parts of Africa, with PREMIUM TIMES reporting extensively from Ogijo, a community in Ogun State where several battery recycling factories operate.

The report found that residents and workers around the factories had been exposed to dangerous levels of lead pollution.

To provide scientific evidence for the investigation, the project commissioned independent blood lead testing for 70 residents, along with soil and air quality sampling around battery recycling plants in Ogun State.

Of the 70 people who volunteered for blood tests, seven out of every 10 recorded harmful levels of lead, according to the investigation. Every worker tested was also found to have been poisoned.

More than half of the children tested had lead levels high enough to cause lifelong brain damage, the investigation reported.

Soil and dust samples collected around the factories also showed extensive contamination, with some recording lead concentrations far above levels generally regarded as hazardous.

The investigation estimated that more than 20,000 people lived within a mile of the factories.

PREMIUM TIMES published its Nigerian investigation in two parts. The first report, “Lead In Their Blood: How Battery Recyclers Are Poisoning Nigerians,” documented the health risks faced by residents and workers in Ogijo.

The second, “Poor Oversight, Regulatory Failure Exposes Nigerians to Slow Death from Battery Recycling,” examined failures by regulatory authorities and the conditions that allowed the hazardous operations to continue.

The investigation also examined the international supply chain, tracing Nigeria’s recycled lead to overseas buyers and the global automotive industry.

The broader project found that recycled lead from Nigerian factories entered international supply chains used to produce car batteries.

It documented how one American battery manufacturer, East Penn Manufacturing, bought Nigerian lead through the global trading company Trafigura. Following the reporting, the company said it would stop importing the Nigerian lead and introduce additional scrutiny of its lead purchases.

Impact & Recognitions

Following the publication, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency shut down battery recycling facilities in Ogijo over environmental concerns.

The Ogun State Government also announced measures in response to the findings, including plans to test residents for lead exposure, while the House of Representatives called for an investigation into lead poisoning concerns in Ogijo and demanded an emergency response.

The state government and Lagos State Government also began a joint investigation into the pollution threat, while the Ogun government moved to suspend lead exports and shut affected battery recycling plants.

Nigerian authorities later moved to close factories linked to the US automotive industry amid the lead-poisoning investigation.

The reporting project has since been recognised for its depth and impact, winning PREMIUM TIMES’ standout report of 2025.

In September, it was named a finalist in two categories of the 2026 Online Journalism Awards in the United States.

The project has also received other international recognition, especially in the United States.

The project won the Selden Ring Award for Investigative Reporting from USC Annenberg and the John B. Oakes Award for environmental journalism.

It also won the Edward R. Murrow Awards for Investigative Reporting (Large Digital Organisation) and Best Video/Documentary about international affairs from the Overseas Press Club.

It won the Scripps Howard Journalism Awards, receiving both the Impact Award and the Excellence in Environmental Reporting Award.

In the Gerald Loeb Awards, it was named a finalist in the Video News category.

Mr Olawoyin, a multiple award-winning journalist, leads several projects at PREMIUM TIMES and mentors and supervises reporters.

Apart from his reporting of global economic issues across parts of Africa and the rest of the world, Mr Olawoyin’s reporting and research interests sit at the intersection of media framing and the impact of AI on the future of work, especially in the informal economy 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 development.