Policy Alert, in partnership with We The People, has launched the Nigeria Forest and Climate Journalism Fellowship, an initiative designed to strengthen investigative reporting on forest conservation, climate change and environmental accountability in Nigeria.
The fellowship was unveiled on Thursday in Calabar, Cross River State, at the fourth Multi-Stakeholder Conference on Deforestation, an annual forum that brings together government institutions, civil society organisations, forest-dependent communities, researchers, journalists and development partners to discuss solutions to Nigeria’s deforestation crisis.
In a press release shared with PREMIUM TIMES, the organisers said the programme seeks to address the shortage of in-depth reporting on the causes and consequences of deforestation by equipping journalists with specialised training, editorial support and reporting grants.
Nigeria continues to experience rapid forest loss driven by illegal logging, agricultural expansion, mining, infrastructure development and weak governance. Environmental experts have warned that the trend is worsening climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation.
The organisers said under the fellowship, selected journalists will undergo intensive training before submitting investigative story pitches for print, digital, broadcast or infographic formats. The strongest proposals will be selected competitively.
