CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: ACDJ MEDIA FELLOWSHIP 2026
Are you a journalist with a development story worth telling? Apply for the ACDJ Media Fellowship 2026.
The Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) invites applications from journalists for the inaugural ACDJ Media Fellowship, a practical professional-development programme designed to strengthen development journalism across Africa.
The fellowship will select 10 journalists to develop compelling stories on development issues through practical story development, editorial mentoring, pitching guidance and professional networking.
What the Fellowship Offers
Selected fellows will participate in two online preparatory meetings, dedicated fellowship activities during the 10th Africa Conference on Development Journalism, and online follow-up sessions through January 2027.
The programme will include a practical Story Lab, editorial mentoring and a pitching clinic to help fellows refine their story ideas, identify relevant sources and evidence, strengthen their reporting plans, and prepare their work for potential publication or broadcast.
The conference will take place in Kaduna, Nigeria, from 2–4 December 2026.
Who Can Apply?
The fellowship is open to African journalists and non-African journalists who actively report on African issues and demonstrate an interest in development journalism.
Applicants should have a proposed story idea addressing a relevant development issue and a commitment to participating in the fellowship activities.
Important Information
The fellowship is designed to accommodate the professional responsibilities of working journalists. However, selected fellows are expected to participate in the online preparatory meetings, attend the conference and fellowship activities in Kaduna, and join the online follow-up meetings through January 2027.
Selected fellows will be responsible for their own transportation to and from Kaduna, accommodation, and feeding. AMDF will not cover these expenses.
How to Apply
Interested journalists should complete the online application form and provide their professional details, a sample of their journalistic work, a proposed development story, and a brief statement explaining their interest in the fellowship.
Application deadline: 25 October 2026.
Apply here: https://forms.gle/C7zcV1vfpMnKWi8T6
Only 10 fellows will be selected, alongside two reserve candidates.
The ACDJ Media Fellowship 2026 offers journalists an opportunity to strengthen their reporting, receive constructive editorial feedback, and connect with colleagues committed to telling important development stories across Africa.
Have a development story worth telling? Apply today.