Two journalists from PREMIUM TIMES have been named finalists for the 2026 African Investigative Journalist of the Year Awards. They worked on a report about lead poisoning linked to battery recycling in Nigeria.
The investigation was led by Oladeinde Olawoyin, who is the editor of the Business and Economy desk at PREMIUM TIMES. He worked alongside Folashade Ogunrinde, an award-winning investigative reporter.
The Wits Centre for Journalism, with support from Absa Africa, is hosting the awards for the fourth time. The aim is to celebrate excellent investigative reporting in Africa. The awards highlight untold stories, hold powerful people accountable, and serve the public interest.
The 2026 African Investigative Journalism Conference will take place from 10 to 12 November at the Edge Convention Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. The winners and runners-up will be announced at a gala event on 11 November.
This year's awards received over 200 entries from across Africa. The judges had a tough time picking the finalists because of the high quality of the reports.
“Judging these awards is never an easy process as there is so much valuable investigative journalism happening on our continent now,” said Gwen Lister, who leads the judges. He explained that the judges had to evaluate the shortlisted work against strict standards, which led to many discussions about the submissions.
“As judges, we all hope that striving for the prestigious title of African Investigative Journalist of the Year will encourage journalists across the continent to achieve even more,” Mr Lister added.
Dinesh Balliah, the director of the Wits Centre for Journalism, said the award shows the important role of journalism in holding those in power accountable. He mentioned the challenges journalists face, including lack of resources and threats of violence.
“I wish we could recognise every one of the entrants through these awards, but it is impossible. The top three, though, represent all of these incredible journalists and their impactful work,” Mr Balliah said.
Daniel Munslow, managing executive of group communications at Absa Group, stated that the organization knows how important investigative journalism is for transparency and public trust. This is why they celebrate the continent's best journalistic talents.
“The 2026 Absa African Investigative Journalist of the Year Award celebrates some of the continent’s finest journalistic talent and the important work they do in bringing vital issues to light.
“We are proud to support a platform that champions excellence in journalism and contributes to building more informed, resilient, and prosperous societies across Africa,” Mr Munslow stated.
From a longlist of five, the investigation by PREMIUM TIMES, titled ‘Lead In Their Blood / Poor Oversight, Regulatory Failure Expose Nigerians to Slow Death from Battery Recycling,’ was shortlisted. Mr Olawoyin and Ms Ogunrinde worked with The Examination, Nigeria, on this report.
They competed against two other reports: ‘Your Eyes, Their Data’ by Naipanoi Lepapa from Kenya, along with Julia Lindblom from Göteborgs-Posten and Ahmed Abdigadir from Svenska Dagbladet, and ‘Nine Lives: King Cat and His Tender Empire’ by Jeff Wicks from News24, South Africa.
The investigation looked at the health and environmental effects of lead-acid battery recycling in parts of Africa. PREMIUM TIMES reported from Ogijo, Ogun State, where many battery recycling factories are located.
The report found that residents and workers near these factories faced dangerous levels of lead pollution. To support their findings, the project commissioned independent blood lead tests for 70 residents and took soil and air samples around the recycling plants in Ogun State.
Of the 70 people tested, seven out of ten had harmful lead levels. Every worker tested was found to have lead poisoning. More than half of the children tested had lead levels that could cause lifelong brain damage.
Soil and dust samples around the factories showed serious contamination, with lead levels much higher than what is considered safe. The investigation estimated over 20,000 people live within a mile of the factories.
PREMIUM TIMES published this investigation in two parts. The first report was “Lead In Their Blood: How Battery Recyclers Are Poisoning Nigerians.” It detailed the health risks faced by people in Ogijo. The second report, “Poor Oversight, Regulatory Failure Exposes Nigerians to Slow Death from Battery Recycling,” looked at the failures of regulatory bodies that allowed these dangerous operations to continue.
The investigation also traced Nigeria’s recycled lead to international buyers and the global automotive industry. It showed that recycled lead from Nigerian factories is used to make car batteries worldwide.
One American company, East Penn Manufacturing, was found to buy Nigerian lead through Trafigura, a global trading firm. After the report, the company announced it would stop importing Nigerian lead and increase scrutiny on its lead purchases.
After the publication, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency closed battery recycling facilities in Ogijo due to environmental issues. The Ogun State Government also announced plans to test residents for lead exposure.
The House of Representatives called for an investigation into lead poisoning issues in Ogijo and requested emergency measures. The Ogun and Lagos State Governments began a joint investigation into the pollution threat and moved to suspend lead exports.
Nigerian authorities later closed factories linked to the US automotive industry during the lead poisoning investigation. This reporting project has gained recognition for its depth and impact, winning PREMIUM TIMES’ standout report of 2025.
In September, it was named a finalist in two categories for the 2026 Online Journalism Awards in the United States. The project has also received other international recognition.
It won the Selden Ring Award for Investigative Reporting from USC Annenberg and the John B. Oakes Award for environmental journalism. It received the Edward R. Murrow Awards for Investigative Reporting and Best Video/Documentary about international affairs from the Overseas Press Club.
It also won the Scripps Howard Journalism Awards, receiving both the Impact Award and the Excellence in Environmental Reporting Award. In the Gerald Loeb Awards, it was a finalist in the Video News category.
Mr Olawoyin is a multiple award-winning journalist who leads various projects at PREMIUM TIMES. He mentors and supervises reporters. His work covers global economic issues in Africa and beyond, focusing on media framing and the impact of AI on informal work in Nigeria.
Ms Ogunrinde is an award-winning investigative journalist known for her focus on governance, accountability, and inclusive development.
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