TVC News’ Zainab Akande Finishes Top 10 In UK Science, Technology Reporting Competition

TVC News journalist, Zainab Akande, has been selected among 10 Nigerian journalists for a London Knowledge Exchange programme after completing a week-long fellowship on science, technology and innovation reporting in Abuja. Akande earned a place in the next phase of the 2026 UK Media Excellence for Emerging Technology Fellowship following……

TVC News journalist, Zainab Akande, has been selected among 10 Nigerian journalists for a London Knowledge Exchange programme after completing a week-long fellowship on science, technology and innovation reporting in Abuja.

Akande earned a place in the next phase of the 2026 UK Media Excellence for Emerging Technology Fellowship following a pitch competition involving 28 journalists and content creators at the end of the residential training.

She will join nine other selected journalists, including Habeeb Adisa, Adebola Giwa, Dare Akogun, Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman, Nkoli Omhoudu, Taiwo Fatola, Temitayo Jaiyeola and Victor Nwachukwu, for the London exchange

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Vicky Seymour, said credible journalism was increasingly important as emerging technologies continued to influence people’s everyday lives.

Seymour said the UK was proud to support the fellowship as part of its commitment to strengthening collaboration with Nigeria in science, technology and innovation.

She congratulated the 28 participants and the 10 journalists selected for the London exchange, noting that the programme had equipped them with the knowledge to report on the opportunities and risks associated with emerging technologies.

The British envoy also described the fellowship as an opportunity to build a lasting network of journalists committed to improving science, technology and innovation reporting.

Also speaking, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) Policy and Partnerships Manager for West Africa, Ijeoma Agwu, said the programme was aimed at improving the quality of science and technology reporting rather than simply increasing the volume of coverage.

Agwu challenged the selected journalists to move beyond familiar and sensational subjects to investigate scientific and technological developments with direct implications for people’s lives.

“The presentations may end here, but the impact begins with the next story you tell,” she said.

The Associate Director of Imperial Global Ghana, Amma Boakye-Danquah, commended the participants for their commitment and engagement, describing the cohort as the most engaged group of journalists the programme had hosted.

In his remarks, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, urged journalists to play a greater role in communicating Nigeria’s research and innovation priorities to the public.

Represented by his Special Assistant, Chioma Okieke, the minister said effective science reporting could bridge the gap between research discoveries and economic opportunities.

He stressed that Nigeria’s ambition to develop a knowledge-based and innovation-driven economy required science, technology and innovation to be integrated across different sectors.

During the Abuja training, participants received sessions on artificial intelligence, digital health, biomedical research, climate change, energy, electronic waste and financial technology, among other emerging fields.

The programme focused on equipping journalists with the skills to translate complex scientific and technological developments into accessible, accurate and evidence-based reports.

The 10 selected fellows are expected to travel to London for the Knowledge Exchange programme, supported by Imperial College London, where they will engage with researchers, scientists and other experts.

The exchange is designed to deepen their understanding of emerging technologies and strengthen their capacity to produce stories that improve public understanding of scientific and technological developments shaping society.

The 2026 UK Media Excellence for Emerging Technology Fellowship is supported by the UK Government through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, in partnership with Imperial College London, Imperial Global and other participating institutions.

TVC News Online had earlier reported that Zainab Akande was selected for the UK Media Excellence for Emerging Technology (UK MEET) Fellowship after emerging among successful applicants from more than 500 submissions from Nigeria and Ghana.

The fellowship, organised by Imperial College London through Imperial Global Ghana, with support from the British High Commission, is designed to strengthen science journalism and improve public understanding of emerging technologies.

The programme focuses on areas including artificial intelligence (AI), climate technology, biomedical innovation and health technology, equipping journalists with the skills to investigate technological developments and report their implications for society.

According to the organisers, Akande’s application stood out for her reporting track record, clear editorial perspective and proposed story idea.

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