Julian Adetinuyo of News Scope Africa, second-place winner of the inaugural Nigeria AMR Media Awards (NAMA).
Julian Adetinuyo of News Scope Africa has won second prize in the inaugural Nigeria AMR Media Awards (NAMA), placing her among Nigerian journalists recognised for reporting on antimicrobial resistance.
The award was announced on November 11 during the sixth Annual Global Media Forum on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), where Nigerian journalists also secured multiple prizes and special mentions in the Global AMR Media Awards (GAMA).
Kazeem Biriowo of Nigerian Tribune won first prize in the national competition, while Mariam Ile-yemi of Premium Times came third.
The three prize winners will receive certificates and cash awards, with the financial prizes supported by the Art for Health Initiative, a non-profit organisation.
Nigeria submitted 96 entries to the GAMA and NAMA competitions, representing a quarter of all submissions.
Seven journalists also received special mentions in the inaugural national awards. They are Folashade Akpan of the News Agency of Nigeria, Chioma Obinna of Vanguard, Helen Oji Emmanuel of Blueprint, Fatima Saka of DistinctNews, Chinyere Okorafor of Nigeria Health Times, Laide Akinboade of Daily Asset and Odimmegwa John Peter of New Africa Horizon.
Nigerian journalists also received recognition in several categories of the Global AMR Media Awards.
In the reporting category on the fifth High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR, Annabel Nwachukwu of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria won first prize. Edward Samuel Ikpete of Voice of Nigeria came second, while Doris Obinna of The Sun placed third. Alice Etuka of The Fact Daily received a special mention.
In the People’s Reporting category, Isioma Appiah-Yeboah of Clean Beat Radio won first prize. Princess Ekwi-Ajide of Anambra Broadcasting Service, Smith Nwokocha of Port Harcourt Wakawaka Blog and Chioma Vivian James of True Verdict received special mentions.
Patience Ihejirika of Leadership and Benedict Ifeanyi Chukwu of Kaftan TV also received special mentions in the Africa category.
The founding chairperson of the Nigeria AMR Media Alliance, Ojoma Akor, described the inaugural national awards as an important step towards strengthening health and science journalism in Nigeria.
She said AMR had received insufficient attention in newsrooms despite its implications for public health, healthcare delivery, food security and national development.
Akor said the awards recognised journalism’s role in making complex scientific evidence accessible, amplifying the experiences of affected communities and holding institutions accountable.
She congratulated the winners and nominees, stating that the alliance would continue to build journalists’ capacity and encourage investigative and solutions-oriented reporting on AMR.
The founder of Art for Health Initiative, Chidera Rosecamille Aneke, said the organisation supported the awards to promote innovative storytelling that would help audiences understand antimicrobial resistance.
She said the initiative works at the intersection of storytelling, media and the arts to encourage public understanding and action on critical health issues.
Chairperson of the Global AMR Media Alliance, Shobha Shukla, also congratulated Nigerian journalists and commended the Nigeria chapter for raising the profile of AMR reporting.
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Shukla said antimicrobial resistance was not merely a medical or scientific issue but also a societal and development challenge requiring public awareness, government accountability and responsible practices across human, animal and environmental health.
She urged journalists to move beyond treating AMR solely as a health beat issue and help make responsible antimicrobial use a public priority.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond effectively to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risks associated with routine medical procedures.
Nigeria’s response includes implementation of its National Action Plan on AMR, surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention and control. However, sustained public awareness, stronger policy implementation, adequate financing and research remain important to tackling the threat.
The Nigeria AMR Media Alliance is the Nigerian chapter of the Global AMR Media Alliance. It brings together journalists and media professionals to promote evidence-based reporting and public understanding of antimicrobial resistance through a One Health approach.
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