Non-bank financial services firm Sanlam has announced the opening of the 2021 Sanlam Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism, one of the leading initiatives in Africa, recognizing exceptional business journalism since 1974.
The 2021 awards are open for print, radio, television, and online media. African journalists in Africa, working in an African news organization, and publishing or broadcasting their works on the continent are eligible for the competition. The deadline for entries is 28 February 2022.
This year, the judging panel will be chaired by a South Africa-based Kenyan Communication Scholar, Nixon Kariithi, who will lead a bench of eight accomplished mass communication experts and practitioners. Another Kenyan scholar and Public Relations Consultant Mr. Tom Indimuli will also sit in the judge’s panel.
While welcoming local journalists to consider making their submissions for the prestigious continental awards, Sanlam Kenya Group CEO Dr. Patrick Tumbo said the awards will celebrate outstanding journalism as part of a strategic effort to deepen the value of financial journalism in Africa.
Sanlam Kenya, an operating subsidiary of the Sanlam Group- the largest non-bank financial services firm in Africa- has been supporting the initiative, producing several Kenyan winners in the last decade.
“Such awards deserve our corporate support as they help to nurture and celebrate financial journalists’. In an information economy, financial journalism will continue enjoying pride of place as a key plank that advances financial literacy for development,” Dr. Tumbo said.
The competition comprises of seven category prizes and three special awards, presented as follows:
Category Awards:
o Business and Companies
o Economy
o Financial Markets
o Consumer Financial Education
o The Africa Growth Story
o Broadcast: Radio/Audio/Podcasting (in business reporting)
o Broadcast: Television/Video (in business reporting)
The Business/Companies, Economy, Financial Markets, and Consumer Financial Education categories are open to South African journalists only. Entries must be from print and online media.
The Africa Growth Story, Broadcast: Audio, and Broadcast: Video categories are open to South African journalists as well as African journalists in the rest of Africa working in an African news organization and practicing journalism on the continent.