AMDF Names Dapo Olorunyomi Lifetime Achievement Winner
The Africa Media Development Foundation honors the Nigerian journalist for lasting contributions to development journalism in Africa.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Awards
The Africa Media Development Foundation selected Dapo Olorunyomi as recipient of its 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award. The announcement came alongside finalists for the 2026 Journalist of the Year Award, selected from entries across nine African countries.
Why it matters
The award recognizes sustained work in development journalism, public discourse, and ethical reporting across Africa. It highlights the role of independent media institutions in shaping press standards on the continent.
Olorunyomi's recognitions include the 2017 Diamond Awards for Media Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2020 Committee to Protect Journalists International Press Freedom Award. The 2026 finalists were drawn from submissions across nine countries, though the photography category produced no recommended finalists.
The players
Africa Media Development Foundation
The Africa Media Development Foundation is a body that recognizes journalists and media professionals across Africa through its annual awards.
Dapo Olorunyomi
Dapo Olorunyomi is a Nigerian journalist and media leader known for co-founding PREMIUM TIMES and leading the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development.
The details
Olorunyomi is chief executive officer of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development and a co-founder and publisher of PREMIUM TIMES, established in 2011. He co-founded the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism in 2014, which was renamed CJID in 2022.
Timeline
2014: Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism co-founded.
2017: Diamond Awards for Media Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award received.
2020: CPJ International Press Freedom Award received.
2025: Nigerian President Bola Tinubu honors Olorunyomi with the Officer of the Order of the Niger.
2026-12-02 to 2026-12-04: Award to be presented at the 10th African Conference on Development Journalism.
Awards Trajectory
The 2026 lifetime honor follows Olorunyomi's 2020 Committee to Protect Journalists International Press Freedom Award, extending a pattern of international recognition for his press freedom work. It places his career within the Africa Media Development Foundation's own tradition of honoring development journalism.
Readers interested in African development journalism can follow the finalists and winners announced by the foundation once the conference takes place. The honors offer a guide to outlets and reporters whose work the foundation considers most significant.
The takeaway
Recognition from African press bodies such as the Africa Media Development Foundation highlights journalists whose sustained work shapes ethical reporting across the continent. Following these awards offers a practical way to identify reliable development journalism.
What happens next
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented during the 10th African Conference on Development Journalism, scheduled for December 2 to 4, 2026, when winners of the Journalist of the Year categories are also expected to be announced.
Further reading
For more recognition in the field, browse our Awards coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by UA.
