As the commemoration of 2025 Women’s Month winds up today, it was an opportune moment to reflect on the remarkable strides made by women in journalism in Nigeria. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that the Women in Journalism Africa’s (WIJAFRICA), selection of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Journalism in 2024, remains a significant milestone in celebrating excellence, resilience, and mentorship within Nigeria’s media landscape At the heart of Women in Journalism Africa’s (WIJAFRICA) mission is the recognition of trailblazing women who continue to shape the industry and inspire the next generation. The 2024 list, unveiled during the organisation’s 10th anniversary celebration in Lagos on October 1, 2024, was particularly noteworthy for honouring female journalists, just as it spotlighted emerging voices.
Founder and coordinator of WIJAFRICA, Yomi Owope, underscored the importance of this initiative, tracing its origins to his time at Pan-Atlantic University’s School of Media and Communication. “We set up a think tank on how to impact media, and when I met my project supervisor, he asked me to find a niche. It took a lot of time and many people putting in their ideas, but that was how the initiative was born,” he explained.
The ceremony, hosted by renowned broadcaster Olive Emodi, was a gathering of industry veterans, editors, and media executives, all united in celebrating women’s impact in journalism while paying tribute to seven veteran journalists- Lady Maiden Ibru, .
